Causative agent of the mystery Swine disease, vaccine compositions and diagnostic kits

ABSTRACT

Composition of matter comprising the causative agent of Mystery Swine Disease, Lelystad Agent, in a live, attenuated, dead, or recombinant form, or a part or component of it. Vaccine compositions and diagnostic kits based thereon. Recombinant nucleic acid comprising a Lelystad Agent-specific nucleotide sequence. Peptides comprising a Lelystad Agent-specific amino acid sequence. Lelystad Agent-specific antibodies.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application is a divisional application of co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. 09/565,864, filed May 5, 2000, now U.S. Patent ______, issued ______, which itself is a divisional application of co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. 08/747,863, filed Nov. 13, 1996, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,197,310 , issued Mar. 6, 2001, which itself is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/157,005, filed Nov. 26, 1993, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,620,691, which is a U.S. National Stage under 35 U.S.C. § 371 of International Patent Application PCT/NL92/00096, filed Jun. 5, 1992, the contents of all of which are incorporated by this reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The invention relates to the isolation, characterization and utilization of the causative agent of the Mystery Swine Disease (MSD). The invention utilizes the discovery of the agent causing the disease and the determination of its genome organization, the genomic nucleotide sequence and the proteins encoded by the genome, for providing protection against and diagnosis of infections, in particular, protection against and diagnosis of MSD infections, and for providing vaccine compositions and diagnostic kits, either for use with MSD or with other pathogen-caused diseases.

BACKGROUND

[0003] In the winter and early spring of 1991, the Dutch pig industry was struck by a sudden outbreak of a new disease among breeding sows. Most sows showed anorexia, some aborted late in gestation (around day 110), showed stillbirths or gave birth to mummified fetuses and some had fever. Occasionally, sows with bluish ears were found, therefore, the disease was commonly named “Abortus Blauw”. The disease in the sows was often accompanied by respiratory distress and death of their young piglets and often by respiratory disease and growth retardation of older piglets and fattening pigs.

[0004] The cause of this epizootic was not known, but the symptoms resembled those of a similar disease occurring in Germany since late 1990, and resembled those of the so-called “Mystery Swine Disease” as seen since 1987 in the mid-west of the United States of America and in Canada (Hill, 1990). Various other names have been used for the disease; in Germany it is known as “Seuchenhafter Spätabort der Schweine” and in North America it is also known as “Mystery Pig Disease”, “Mysterious Reproductive Syndrome”, and “Swine Infertility and Respiratory Syndrome”. In North America, Loula (1990) described the general clinical signs as:

[0005] 1) off feed, sick animals of all ages;

[0006] 2) abortions, stillbirths, weak pigs, mummies;

[0007] 3) post-farrowing respiratory problems; and

[0008] 4) breeding problems.

[0009] No causative agent has as yet been identified, but encephalomyocarditis virus (“EMCV”), porcine parvo virus (“PPV”), pseudorabies virus (“PRV”), swine influenza virus (“SIV”), bovine viral diarrhea virus (“BVDV”), hog cholera virus (“HCV”), porcine entero viruses (“PEV”), an influenza-like virus, chlamidiae, leptospirae, have all been named as a possible cause (Loula, 1990; Mengeling and Lager, 1990; among others).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The invention provides a composition of matter comprising isolated Lelystad Agent which is the causative agent of Mystery Swine Disease, the Lelystad Agent essentially corresponding to the isolate Lelystad Agent (CDI-NL-2.91) deposited Jun. 5, 1991 with the Institut Pasteur, Collection Nationale de Cultures De Microorganismes (C.N.C.M.) 25, rue du Docteur Roux, 75724 -Paris Cedex 15, France, deposit number I-1102. The words “essentially corresponding” refer to variations that occur in nature and to artificial variations of Lelystad Agent, particularly those which still allow detection by techniques like hybridization, PCR and ELISA, using Lelystad Agent-specific materials, such as Lelystad Agent-specific DNA or antibodies.

[0011] The composition of matter may comprise live, killed, or attenuated isolated Lelystad Agent; a recombinant vector derived from Lelystad Agent; an isolated part or component of Lelystad Agent; isolated or synthetic protein (poly)peptide, or nucleic acid derived from Lelystad Agent; recombinant nucleic acid which comprises a nucleotide sequence derived from the genome of Lelystad Agent; a (poly)peptide having an amino acid sequence derived from a protein of Lelystad Agent, the (poly)peptide being produced by a cell capable of producing it due to genetic engineering with appropriate recombinant DNA; an isolated or synthetic antibody which specifically recognizes a part or component of Lelystad Agent; or a recombinant vector which contains nucleic acid comprising a nucleotide sequence coding for a protein or antigenic peptide derived from Lelystad Agent.

[0012] On the DNA level, the invention specifically provides a recombinant nucleic acid, more specifically recombinant DNA, which comprises a Lelystad Agent-specific nucleotide sequence shown in FIG. 1 (SEQ ID NO: 1) which includes FIGS. 1a ; through 1 q. Preferably, the Lelystad Agent-specific nucleotide sequence is selected from any one of the ORFs (Open Reading Frames) shown in FIG. 1 (SEQ ID NO: 1).

[0013] On the peptide/protein level, the invention specifically provides a peptide comprising a Lelystad Agent-specific amino acid sequence shown in FIG. 1 (SEQ ID NO: 1).

[0014] The invention further provides a vaccine composition for vaccinating animals, in particular mammals, more in particular pigs or swine, to protect them against Mystery Swine Disease, comprising Lelystad Agent, either live, killed, or attenuated; or a recombinant vector which contains nucleic acid comprising a nucleotide sequence coding for a protein or antigenic peptide derived from Lelystad Agent; an antigenic part or component of Lelystad Agent; a protein or antigenic polypeptide derived from, or a peptide mimicking an antigenic component of, Lelystad Agent; and a suitable carrier or adjuvant.

[0015] The invention also provides a vaccine composition for vaccinating animals, in particular mammals, more in particular pigs or swine, to protect them against a disease caused by a pathogen, comprising a recombinant vector derived from Lelystad Agent, the nucleic acid of the recombinant vector comprising a nucleotide sequence coding for a protein or antigenic peptide derived from the pathogen, and a suitable carrier or adjuvant.

[0016] The invention further provides a diagnostic kit for detecting nucleic acid from Lelystad Agent in a sample, in particular a biological sample such as blood or blood serum, sputum, saliva, or tissue, derived from an animal, in particular a mammal, more in particular a pig or swine, comprising a nucleic acid probe or primer which comprises a nucleotide sequence derived from the genome of Lelystad Agent, and suitable detection means of a nucleic acid detection assay.

[0017] The invention also provides a diagnostic kit for detecting antigen from Lelystad Agent in a sample, in particular a biological sample such as blood or blood serum, sputum, saliva, or tissue, derived from an animal, in particular a mammal, more in particular a pig or swine, comprising an antibody which specifically recognizes a part or component of Lelystad Agent, and suitable detection means of an antigen detection assay.

[0018] The invention also provides a diagnostic kit for detecting an antibody which specifically recognizes Lelystad Agent in a sample, in particular a biological sample such as blood or blood serum, sputum, saliva, or tissue, derived from an animal, in particular a mammal, more in particular a pig or swine, comprising Lelystad Agent; an antigenic part or component of Lelystad Agent; a protein or antigenic polypeptide derived from Lelystad Agent; or a peptide mimicking an antigenic component of Lelystad Agent; and suitable detection means of an antibody detection assay.

[0019] The invention also relates to a process for diagnosing whether an animal, in particular a mammal, more in particular a pig or swine, is contaminated with the causative agent of Mystery Swine Disease, comprising preparing a sample, in particular a biological sample such as blood or blood serum, sputum, saliva, or tissue, derived from the animal, and examining whether it contains Lelystad Agent nucleic acid, Lelystad Agent antigen, or antibody specifically recognizing Lelystad Agent, the Lelystad Agent being the causative agent of Mystery Swine Disease and essentially corresponding to the isolate Lelystad Agent (CDI-NL-2.91) deposited Jun. 5, 1991 with the Institut Pasteur, Paris, France, deposit number I-1102.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0020] The invention is a result of combined efforts of the Central Veterinary Institute (CVI) and the Regional Animal Health Services (RAHS) in the Netherlands in trying to find the cause of the new disease MSD. Farms with pigs affected by the new disease were visited by field veterinarians of the RAHS. Sick pigs, specimens of sick pigs, and sow sera taken at the time of the acute and convalescent phase of the disease were sent for virus isolation to the RAHS and the CVI. Paired sera of affected sows were tested for antibodies against ten known pig-viruses. Three different viruses, encephalomyocarditis virus, porcine entero virus type 2, porcine entero virus type 7, and an unknown agent, Lelystad Agent (LA), were isolated. Sows which had reportedly been struck with the disease mainly seroconverted to LA, and rarely to any of the other virus isolates or the known viral pathogens. In order to reproduce MSD experimentally, eight pregnant sows were inoculated intranasally with LA at day 84 of gestation. One sow gave birth to seven dead and four live but very weak piglets at day 109 of gestation; the four live piglets died one day after birth. Another sow gave birth at day 116 to three mummified fetuses, six dead piglets and three live piglets; two of the live piglets died within one day. A third sow gave birth at day 117 to two mummified fetuses, eight dead and seven live piglets. The other sows farrowed around day 115 and had less severe reproductive losses. The mean number of live piglets from all eight sows at birth was 7.3 and the mean number of dead piglets at birth was 4.6. Antibodies directed against LA were detected in 10 out of 42 serum samples collected before the pigs had sucked. LA was isolated from three piglets that died shortly after birth. These results justify the conclusion that LA is the causal agent of mystery swine disease.

[0021] LA grows with a cytopathic affect in pig lung macrophages and can be identified by staining in an immuno-peroxidase-monolayer assay (IPMA) with post-infection sera of pigs c 829 and b 822, or with any of the other post-infection sera of the SPF pigs listed in table 5. Antibodies to LA can be identified by indirect staining procedures in IPMA. LA did not grow in any other cell system tested. LA was not neutralized by homologous sera, or by sera directed against a set of known viruses (Table 3). LA did not haemagglutinate with the red blood cells tested. LA is smaller then 200 nm since it passes through a filter with pores of this size. LA is sensitive to chloroform. The above results show that Lelystad Agent is not yet identified as belonging to a certain virus group or other microbiological species. It has been deposited Jun. 5, 1991 under number I-1102 at Institute Pasteur, France.

[0022] The genome organization, nucleotide sequences, and polypeptides derived therefrom, of LA have now been found. These data together with those of others (see below) justify classification of LA (hereafter also called Lelystad Virus or LV) as a member of a new virus family, the Arteriviridae. As prototype virus of this new family we propose Equine Arteritis Virus (EAV), the first member of the new family of which data regarding the replication strategy of the genome and genome organization became available (de Vries et al., 1990, and references therein). On the basis of a comparison of our sequence data with those available for Lactate Dehydrogenase-Elevating Virus (LDV; Godeny et al., 1990), we propose that LDV is also a member of the Arteriviridae.

[0023] Given the genome organization and translation strategy of Arteriviridae, it seems appropriate to place this new virus family into the superfamily of coronaviruses (Snijder et al., 1990a).

[0024] Arteriviruses have in common that their primary target cells in respective hosts are macrophages. Replication of LDV has been shown to be restricted to macrophages in its host, the mouse; whereas this strict propensity for macrophages has not been resolved yet for EAV and LV.

[0025] Arteriviruses are spherical enveloped particles having a diameter of 45-60 nm and containing an icosahedral nucleocapsid (Brinton-Darnell and Plagemann, 1975; Horzinek et al., 1971; Hyllseth, 1973).

[0026] The genome of Arteriviridae consists of a positive stranded polyadenylated RNA molecule with a size of about 12-13 kilobases (kb) (Brinton-Darnell and Plageman, 1975; van der Zeijst et al., 1975). EAV replicates via a 3′ nested set of six subgenomic mRNAs, ranging in size from 0.8 to 3.6 kb, which are composed of a leader sequence, derived from the 5′ end of the genomic RNA, which is joined to the 3′ terminal body sequences (de Vries et al., 1990).

[0027] Here we show that the genome organization and replication strategy of LV is similar to that of EAV, coronaviruses and toroviruses, whereas the genome sizes of the latter viruses are completely different from those of LV and EAV.

[0028] The genome of LV consists of a genomic RNA molecule of about 14.5 to 15.5 kb in length (estimated on a neutral agarose gel), which replicates via a 3′ nested set of subgenomic RNAs. The subgenomic RNAs consist of a leader sequence, the length of which is yet unknown, which is derived from the 5′ end of the genomic RNA and which is fused to the body sequences derived from the 3′ end of the genomic RNA (FIG. 2).

[0029] The nucleotide sequence of the genomic RNA of LV was determined from overlapping cDNA clones. A consecutive sequence of 15,088 bp was obtained covering nearly the complete genome of LV (FIG. 1, SEQ ID NO: 1). In this sequence 8 open reading frames (ORFs) were identified: ORF 1A, ORF 1B, and ORFs 2 to 7.

[0030] ORF 1A and ORF 1B are predicted to encode the viral replicase or polymerase (SEQ ID NO: 2 and SEQ ID NO: 3), whereas ORFs 2 to 6 are predicted to encode structural viral membrane (envelope) associated proteins (SEQ ID NOS: 4-8). ORF 7 is predicted to encode the structural viral nucleocapsid protein (SEQ ID NO: 9).

[0031] Because the products of ORF 6 and ORF 7 of LV (SEQ ID NO: 8 and SEQ ID NO: 9) show a significant similarity with VpX and Vp1 of LDV, respectively, it is predicted that the sequences of ORFs 6 and 7 will also be highly conserved among antigenic variants of LV.

[0032] The complete nucleotide sequence of FIG. 1 (SEQ ID NO: 1) and all the sequences and protein products encoded by ORFs 1 to 7 (SEQ ID NOS: 1-9) and possible other ORFs located in the sequence of FIG. 1 (SEQ ID NO: 1) are especially suited for vaccine development, in whatever sense, and for the development of diagnostic tools, in whatever sense. All possible modes are well known to persons skilled in the art.

[0033] Since it is now possible to unambiguously identify LA, the causal agent of MSD, it can now be tested whether pigs are infected with LA or not. Such diagnostic tests have, until now, been unavailable.

[0034] The test can be performed by virus isolation in macrophages, or other cell culture systems in which LA might grow, and staining the infected cultures with antibodies directed against LA (such as post-infection sera c 829 or b 822), but it is also feasible to develop and employ other types of diagnostic tests.

[0035] For instance, it is possible to use direct or indirect immunohistological staining techniques, i.e., with antibodies directed to LA that are labeled with fluorescent compounds such as isothiocyanate, or labeled with enzymes such as horseradish peroxidase. These techniques can be used to detect LA antigen in tissue sections or other samples from pigs suspected to have MSD. The antibodies needed for these tests can be c 829 or b 822 or other polyclonal antibodies directed against LA, but monoclonal antibodies directed against LA can also be used.

[0036] Furthermore, since the nature and organization of the genome of LA and the nucleotide sequence of this genome have been determined, LA-specific nucleotide sequences can be identified and used to develop oligonucleotide sequences that can be used as probes or primers in diagnostic techniques such as hybridization, polymerase chain reaction, or any other techniques that are developed to specifically detect nucleotide acid sequences.

[0037] It is also possible to test for antibodies directed against LA. Table 5 shows that experimentally infected pigs rapidly develop antibodies against LA, and table 4 shows that pigs in the field also have strong antibody responses against LA. Thus, it can now also be determined whether pigs have been infected with LA in the past. Such testing is of utmost importance in determining whether pigs or pig herds or pig populations or pigs in whole regions or countries are free of LA. The test can be done by using the IPMA as described, but it is also feasible to develop and employ other types of diagnostic tests for the detection of antibodies directed against LA.

[0038] LA-specific proteins, polypeptides, and peptides, or peptide sequences mimicking antigenic components of LA, can be used in such tests. Such proteins can be derived from the LA itself, but it is also possible to make such proteins by recombinant DNA or peptide synthesis techniques. These tests can use specific polyclonal and/or monoclonal antibodies directed against LA or specific components of LA, and/or use cell systems infected with LA or cell systems expressing LA antigen. The antibodies can be used, for example, as a means for immobilizing the LA antigen (a solid surface is coated with the antibody whereafter the LA antigen is bound by the antibody) which leads to a higher specificity of the test, or can be used in a competitive assay (labeled antibody and unknown antibody in the sample compete for available LA antigen).

[0039] Furthermore, the above described diagnostic possibilities can be applied to test whether other animals, such as mammals, birds, insects or fish, or plants, or other living creatures, can be, or are, or have been infected with LA or related agents.

[0040] Since LA has now been identified as the causal agent of MSD, it is possible to make a vaccine to protect pigs against this disease. Such a vaccine can simply be made by growing LA in pig lung macrophage cultures, or in other cell systems in which LA grows. LA can then be purified or not, and killed by established techniques, such as inactivation with formaline or ultra-violet light. The inactivated LA can then be combined with adjuvantia, such as Freund's adjuvans or aluminum hydroxide or others, and this composition can then be injected in pigs.

[0041] Dead vaccines can also be made with LA protein preparations derived from LA infected cultures, or derived from cell systems expressing specifically LA protein through DNA recombinant techniques. Such subunits of LA would then be treated as above, and this would result in a subunit vaccine.

[0042] Vaccines using even smaller components of LA, such as polypeptides, peptides, or peptides mimicking antigenic components of LA, are also feasible for use as dead vaccine.

[0043] Dead vaccines against MSD can also be made by recombinant DNA techniques through which the genome of LA, or parts thereof, is incorporated in vector systems such as vaccinia virus, herpesvirus, pseudorabies virus, adeno virus, baculo virus or other suitable vector systems that can so express LA antigen in appropriate cells systems. LA antigen from these systems can then be used to develop a vaccine as above, and pigs, vaccinated with such products would develop protective immune responses against LA.

[0044] Vaccines against MSD can also be based on live preparations of LA. Since only young piglets and pregnant sows seem to be seriously affected by infection with LA, it is possible to use unattenuated LA, grown in pig lung macrophages, as vaccine for older piglets, or breeding gilts. In this way, sows can be protected against MSD before they get pregnant, which results in protection against abortions and stillbirth, and against congenital infections of piglets. Also the maternal antibody that these vaccinated sows give to their offspring would protect their offspring against the disease.

[0045] Attenuated vaccines (modified-live-vaccines) against MSD can be made by serially passaging LA in pig lung macrophages, in lung macrophages of other species, or in other cell systems, or in other animals, such as rabbits, until it has lost its pathogenicity.

[0046] Live vaccines against MSD can also be made by recombinant DNA techniques through which the genome of LA, or parts thereof, is incorporated in vector systems such as vaccinia virus, herpesvirus, pseudorabies virus, adeno virus or other suitable vector systems that can so express LA antigen. Pigs vaccinated with such live vector systems would then develop protective immune responses against LA.

[0047] Lelystad Agent itself would be specifically suited to use as a live vector system. Foreign genes could be inserted in the genome of LA and could be expressing the corresponding protein during the infection of the macrophages. This cell, which is an antigen-presenting cell, would process the foreign antigen and present it to B-lymphocytes and T-lymphocytes which will respond with the appropriate immune response.

[0048] Since LA seems to be very cell specific and possibly also very species specific, this vector system might be a very safe system, which does not harm other cells or species.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0049]FIG. 1 (SEQ ID NO: 1) shows the nucleotide sequence of the LV genome. The deduced amino acid sequence of the identified ORFs (SEQ ID NOS: 2-9) are shown. The methionines encoded by the (putative) ATG start sites are indicated in bold and putative N-glycosylation sites are underlined. Differences in the nucleotide and amino acid sequence, as identified by sequencing different cDNA clones, are shown. The nucleotide sequence of primer 25, which has been used in hybridization experiments (see FIG. 2 and section “results”), is underlined.

[0050]FIG. 2 shows the organization of the LV genome. The cDNA clones, which have been used for the determination of the nucleotide sequence, are indicated in the upper part of the figure. The parts of the clones, which were sequenced, are indicated in black. In the lower part of the FIG. the ORFs, identified in the nucleotide sequence, and the subgenomic set of mRNAs, encoding these ORFs are shown. The dashed lines in the ORFs represent alternative initiation sites (ATGs) of these ORFs. The leader sequence of the genomic and subgenomic RNAs is indicated by a solid box.

[0051]FIG. 3 shows the growth characteristics of LA:

[0052] empty squares—titre of cell-free virus;

[0053] solid squares—titre of cell-associated virus;

[0054] solid line—percentage cytopathic effect (CPE).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

[0055] Sample Collection

[0056] Samples and pigs were collected from farms where a herd epizootic of MSD seemed to occur. Important criteria for selecting the farm as being affected with MSD were: sows that were off feed, the occurrence of stillbirth and abortion, weak offspring, respiratory disease and death among young piglets. Samples from four groups of pigs have been investigated:

[0057] (1) tissue samples and an oral swab from affected piglets from the field (Table 1A);

[0058] (2) blood samples and oral swabs from affected sows in the field (Tables 1B and 4);

[0059] (3) tissue samples, nasal swabs and blood samples collected from specific-pathogen-free (SPF) pigs experimentally infected by contact with affected sows from the field; or

[0060] (4) tissue samples, nasal swabs and blood samples collected from specific-pathogen-free (SPF) pigs experimentally infected by inoculation with blood samples of affected sows from the field (Tables 2 and 5).

[0061] Sample Preparation

[0062] Samples for virus isolation were obtained from piglets and sows which on clinical grounds were suspected to have MSD, and from experimentally infected SPF pigs, sows and their piglets.

[0063] Tissue samples were cut on a cryostat microtome and sections were submitted for direct immunofluorescence testing (IFT) with conjugates directed against various pig pathogens.

[0064] 10% Suspensions of tissues samples were prepared in Hank's BSS supplemented with antibiotics, and oral and nasal swabs were soaked in Hank's BSS supplemented with antibiotics. After one hour at room temperature, the suspensions were clarified for 10 min at 6000 g and the supernatant was stored at −70° C. for further use. Leucocyte fractions were isolated from EDTA or heparin blood as described earlier (Wensvoort and Terpstra, 1988) and stored at −70° C. Plasma and serum for virus isolation were stored at −70° C.

[0065] Serum for serology was obtained from sows suspected to be in the acute phase of MSD, a paired serum was taken 3-9 weeks later. Furthermore, sera were taken from the experimentally infected SPF pigs at regular intervals and colostrum and serum was taken from experimentally infected sows and their piglets. Sera for serology were stored at −20° C.

[0066] Cells

[0067] Pig lung macrophages were obtained from lungs of 5-6 weeks old SPF pigs or from lungs of adult SPF sows from the Central Veterinary Institute's own herd. The lungs were washed five to eight times with phosphate buffered saline (PBS). Each aliquot of washing fluid was collected and centrifuged for 10 min at 300 g. The resulting cell pellet was washed again in PBS and resuspended in cell culture medium (160 ml medium 199, supplemented with 20 ml 2.95% tryptose phosphate, 20 ml fetal bovine serum (FBS), and 4.5 ml 1.4% sodium bicarbonate) to a concentration of 4×10⁷cells/ml. The cell suspension was then slowly mixed with an equal volume of DMSO mix (6.7 ml of above medium, 1.3 ml FBS, 2 ml dimethylsulfoxide 97%), aliquoted in 2 ml ampoules and stored in liquid nitrogen.

[0068] Macrophages from one ampoule were prepared for cell culture by washing twice in Earle's MEM, and resuspended in 30 ml growth medium (Earle's MEM, supplemented with 10% FBS, 200 U/ml penicillin, 0.2 mg/ml streptomycine, 100 U/ml mycostatin, and 0.3 mg/ml glutamine). PK-15 cells (American Type Culture Collection, CCL33) and SK-6 cells (Kasza et al., 1972) were grown as described by Wensvoort et al. (1989). Secondary porcine kidney (PK2) cells were grown in Earle's MEM, supplemented with 10% FBS and the above antibiotics. All cells were grown in a cell culture cabinet at 37° C. and 5% CO².

[0069] Virus Isolation Procedures

[0070] Virus isolation was performed according to established techniques using PK2, PK-15 and SK-6 cells, and pig lung macrophages. The former three cells were grown in 25 ml flasks (Greiner), and inoculated with the test sample when monolayers had reached 70-80% confluency. Macrophages were seeded in 100 μl aliquots in 96-well microtiter plates (Greiner) or in larger volumes in appropriate flasks, and inoculated with the test sample within one hour after seeding. The cultures were observed daily for cytopathic effects (CPE), and frozen at −70° C. when 50-70% CPE was reached or after five to ten days of culture. Further passages were made with freeze-thawed material of passage level 1 and 2 or higher. Some samples were also inoculated into nine to twelve day old embryonated hen eggs. Allantoic fluid was subinoculated two times using an incubation interval of three days and the harvest of the third passage was examined by haemagglutination at 4° C. using chicken red blood cells, and by an ELISA specifically detecting nucleoprotein of influenza A viruses (De Boer et al., 1990).

[0071] Serology

[0072] Sera were tested in haemagglutinating inhibition tests (HAI) to study the development of antibody against haemagglutinating encephalitis virus (HEV), and swine influenza viruses H1N1 and H3N2 according to the protocol of Masurel (1976). Starting dilutions of the sera in HAI were 1:9, after which the sera were diluted twofold.

[0073] Sera were tested in established enzyme-linked immuno-sorbent assays (ELISA) for antibodies against the glycoprotein gI of pseudorabies virus (PRV; Van Oirschot et al., 1988), porcine parvo virus (PPV; Westenbrink et al., 1989), bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV; Westenbrink et al., 1986), and hog cholera virus (HCV; Wensvoort et al., 1988). Starting dilutions in the ELISA's were 1:5, after which the sera were diluted twofold.

[0074] Sera were tested for neutralizing antibodies against 30-300 TCID₅₀ of encephalomyocarditis viruses (EMCV), porcine enteroviruses (PEV), and Lelystad Agent (LA) according to the protocol of Terpstra (1978). Starting dilutions of the sera in the serum neutralization tests (SNT) were 1:5, after which the sera were diluted twofold.

[0075] Sera were tested for binding with LA in an immuno-peroxidase-monolayer assay (IPMA). Lelystad Agent (LA; code: CDI-NL-2.91) was seeded in microtiter plates by adding 50 ml growth medium containing 100 TCID₅₀ LA to the wells of a microtiter plate containing freshly seeded lung macrophages. The cells were grown for two days and then fixed as described (Wensvoort, 1986). The test sera were diluted 1:10 in 0.15 M NaCl, 0.05% Tween 80, 4% horse serum, or diluted further in fourfold steps, added to the wells and then incubated for one hour at 37° C. Sheep-anti-pig immunoglobulins (Ig) conjugated to horse radish peroxidase (HRPO, DAKO) were diluted in the same buffer and used in a second incubation for one hour at 37° C., after which the plates were stained as described (Wensvoort et al., 1986). An intense red staining of the cytoplasm of infected macrophages indicated binding of the sera to LA.

[0076] Virus Identification Procedures

[0077] The identity of cytopathic isolates was studied by determining the buoyant density in CsCl, by estimating particle. size in negatively stained preparations through electron microscopy, by determining the sensitivity of the isolate to chloroform and by neutralizing the CPE of the isolate with sera with known specificity (Table 3). Whenever an isolate was specifically neutralized by a serum directed against a known virus, the isolate was considered to be a representative of this known virus.

[0078] Isolates that showed CPE on macrophage cultures were also studied by staining in IPMA with post-infection sera of pigs c 829 or b 822. The isolates were reinoculated on macrophage cultures and fixed at day 2 after inoculation before the isolate showed CPE. Whenever an isolate showed reactivity in IPMA with the post-infection sera of pigs c 829 or b 822, the isolate was considered to be a representative of the Lelystad Agent. Representatives of the other isolates grown in macrophages or uninfected macrophages were also stained with these sera to check the specificity of the sera.

[0079] Further Identification of Lelystad Agent

[0080] Lelystad Agent was further studied by haemagglutination at 4° C. and 37° C. with chicken, guinea pig, pig, sheep, or human O red blood cells. SIV, subtype H3N2, was used as positive control in the haemagglutination studies.

[0081] The binding of pig antisera specifically directed against pseudorabies virus (PRV), transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGE), porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PED), haemagglutinating encephalitis virus (HEV), African swine fever virus (ASFV), hog cholera virus (HCV) and swine influenza virus (SIV) type H1N1 and H3N2, of bovine antisera specifically directed against bovine herpes viruses type 1 and 4 (BHV 1 and 4), malignant catarrhal fever (MCF), parainfluenza virus 3 (PI3), bovine respiratory syncitial virus (BRSV) and bovine leukemia virus (BLV), and of avian antisera specifically directed against avian leukemia virus (ALV) and infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) was studied with species-Ig-specific HRPO conjugates in an IPMA on LA infected and uninfected pig lung macrophages as described above.

[0082] We also tested in IPMA antisera of various species directed against mumps virus, Sendai virus, canine distemper virus, rinderpest virus, measles virus, pneumonia virus of mice, bovine respiratory syncytial virus, rabies virus, foamy virus, maedi-visna virus, bovine and murine leukemia virus, human, feline and simian immunodeficiency virus, lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus, feline infectious peritonitis virus, mouse hepatitis virus, Breda virus, Hantaan virus, Nairobi sheep disease virus, Eastern, Western and Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis virus, rubellavirus, equine arteritis virus, lactic dehydrogenase virus, yellow fever virus, tick-born encephalitis virus and hepatitis C virus.

[0083] LA was blindly passaged in PK2, PK- 15, and SK-6 cells, and in embryonated hen eggs. After two passages, the material was inoculated again into pig lung macrophage cultures for reisolation of LA.

[0084] LA was titrated in pig lung macrophages prior to and after passing through a 0.2 micron filter (Schleicher and Schuell). The LA was detected in IPMA and by its CPE. Titres were calculated according to Reed and Muench (1938).

[0085] We further prepared pig antisera directed against LA. Two SPF pigs (21 and 23) were infected intranasally with 10⁵TCID₅₀ of a fifth cell culture passage of LA. Two other SPF pigs (25 and 29) were infected intranasally with a fresh suspension of the lungs of an LA-infected SPF piglet containing 10⁵ TCID₅₀ LA. Blood samples were taken at 0, 14, 28, and 42 days post-infection (dpi).

[0086] We further grew LA in porcine alveolar macrophages to determine its growth pattern over time. Porcine alveolar macrophages were seeded in F25 flasks (Greiner), infected with LA with a multiplicity of infection of 0.01 TCID₅₀ per cell. At 8, 16,24, 32,40,48, 56, and 64 h after infection, one flask was examined and the percentage of CPE in relation to a noninfected control culture was determined. The culture medium was then harvested and replaced with an equal volume of phosphate-buffered saline. The medium and the flask were stored at −70° C. After all cultures had been harvested, the LA titres were determined and expressed as log TCID₅₀ ml⁻¹.

[0087] The morphology of LA was studied by electronmicroscopy. LA was cultured as above. After 48 h, the cultures were freeze-thawed and centrifuged for 10 min at 6000.times.g. An amount of 30 ml supernatant was then mixed with 0.3 ml LA-specific pig serum and incubated for 1.5 h at 37° C. After centrifugation for 30 min at 125,000× g, the resulting pellet was suspended in 1% Seakem agarose ME in phosphate-buffered saline at 40° C. After coagulation, the agarose block was immersed in 0.8% glutaraldehyde and 0.8% osmiumtetroxide (Hirsch et al., 1968) in veronal/acetate buffer, pH 7.4 (230 mOsm/kg H₂O), and fixed by microwave irradiation. This procedure was repeated once with fresh fixative. The sample was washed with water, immersed in 1% uranyl acetate, and stained by microwave irradiation. Throughout all steps, the sample was kept at 0° C. and the microwave (Samsung RE211D) was set at defrost for 5 min. Thin sections were prepared with standard techniques, stained with lead citrate (Venable et al., 1965), and examined in a Philips CM 10 electron microscope.

[0088] We further continued isolating LA from sera of pigs originating from cases of MSD. Serum samples originated from the Netherlands (field case the Netherlands 2), Germany (field cases Germany 1 and Germany 2; courtesy Drs. Berner, Müinchen and Nienhoff, Münster), and the United States [experimental case United States 1 (experiment performed with ATCC VR-2332; courtesy Drs. Collins, St. Paul and Chladek, St. Joseph), and field cases United States 2 and United States 3; courtesy Drs. van Alstine, West Lafayette and Slife, Galesburg]. All samples were sent to the “Centraal Diergeneeskundig Instituut, Lelystad” for LA diagnosis. All samples were used for virus isolation on porcine alveolar macrophages as described. Cytophatic isolates were passaged three times and identified as LA by specific immunostaining with anti-LA post infection sera b 822 and c 829.

[0089] We also studied the antigenic relationships of isolates NL1 (the first LA isolate; code CDI-NL-2.91), NL2, GE1, GE2, US1, US2, and US3. The isolates were grown in macrophages as above and were tested in IPMA with a set of field sera and two sets of experimental sera. The sera were also tested in IPMA with uninfected macrophages.

[0090] The field sera were: Two sera positive for LV (TH-187 and TO-36) were selected from a set of LA-positive Dutch field sera. Twenty-two sera were selected from field sera sent from abroad to Lelystad for serological diagnosis. The sera originated from Germany (BE-352, BE-392 and NI-f2; courtesy Dr. Bemer, München and Dr. Nienhoff, Münster), the United Kingdom (PA-141615, PA-141617 and PA-142440; courtesy Dr. Paton, Weybridge), Belgium (PE-1960; courtesy Prof. Pensaert, Gent), France (EA-2975 and EA-2985; courtesy Dr. Albina, Ploufragan), the United States (SL-441, SL-451, AL-RP9577, AL-P10814/33, AL-4994A, AL-7525, JC-MN41, JC-MN44 and JC-MN45; courtesy Dr. Slife, Galesburg, Dr. van Alstine, West Lafayette, and Dr. Collins, St. Paul), and Canada (RB-16, RB- 19, RB-22 and RB-23; courtesy Dr. Robinson, Quebec).

[0091] The experimental sera were: The above described set of sera of pigs 21, 23, 25, and 29, taken at dpi 0, 14, 28, and 42. A set of experimental sera (obtained by courtesy of Drs. Chladek, St. Joseph, and Collins, St. Paul) that originated from four six-month-old gilts that were challenged intranasally with 10^(5.1)TCID₅₀ of the isolate ATCC VR-2332. Blood samples were taken from gilt 2B at 0, 20, 36, and 63 dpi; from gilt 9G at 0, 30, 44, and 68 dpi; from gilt 16W at 0, 25, 40, and 64 dpi; and from gilt 16Y at 0, 36, and 64 dpi.

[0092] To study by radio-immunoprecipitation assay (RIP; de Mazancourt et al., 1986) the proteins of LA in infected porcine alveolar macrophages, we grew LA-infected and uninfected macrophages for 16 hours in the presence of labeling medium containing ³⁵S-Cysteine. Then the labeled cells were precipitated according to standard methods with 42 dpi post-infection sera of pig b 822 and pig 23 and with serum MN 8 which was obtained 26 days after infecting a sow with the isolate ATCC VR-2332 (courtesy Dr. Collins, St. Paul). The precipitated proteins were analyzed by electrophoresis in a 12% SDS-PAGE gel and visualized by fluorography.

[0093] To characterize the genome of LA, we extracted nuclear DNA and cytoplasmatic RNA from macrophage cultures that were infected with LA and grown for 24 h or were left uninfected. The cell culture medium was discarded, and the cells were washed twice with phosphate-buffered saline. DNA was extracted as described (Strauss, 1987). The cytoplasmic RNA was extracted as described (Favaloro et al., 1980), purified by centrifugation through a 5.7 M CsCl cushion (Setzer et al., 1980), treated with RNase-free DNase (Pharmacia), and analyzed in a 0.8% neutral agarose gel (Moormann and Hulst, 1988).

[0094] Cloning and Sequencing

[0095] To clone LV RNA, intracellular RNA of LV-infected porcine lung alveolar macrophages (10 μg) was incubated with 10 mM methylmercury hydroxide for 10 minutes at room temperature. The denatured RNA was incubated at 42° C. with 50 mM Tris-HCI, pH 7.8, 10 mM MgCl₂, 70 mM KCl, 0.5 mM dATP, dCTP, dGTP and dTTP, 0.6 μg calf thymus oligonucleotide primers pd(N)6 (Pharmacia) and 300 units of Moloney murine leukemia virus reverse transcriptase (Bethesda Research Laboratories) in a total volume of 100μl 20 mM EDTA was added after 1 hr; the reaction mixture was then extracted with phenol/chloroform, passed through a Sephadex G50 column and precipitated with ethanol.

[0096] For synthesis of the second cDNA strand, DNA polymerase I (Boehringer) and RNase H (Pharmacia) were used (Gübler and Hoffinan, 1983). To generate blunt ends at the termini, double-stranded cDNA was incubated with T4 DNA polymerase (Pharmacia) in a reaction mixture which contained 0.05 mM deoxynucleotide-triphosphates. Subsequently, cDNA was fractionated in a 0.8% neutral agarose gel (Moormann and Hulst, 1988). Fragments of 1 to 4 kb were electroeluted, ligated into the Smal site of pGEM-4Z (Promega), and used for transformation of Escherichia coli strain DH5α (Hanahan, 1985). Colony filters were hybridized with a ³²P-labeled single-stranded cDNA probe. The probe was reverse transcribed from LV RNA which had been fractionated in a neutral agarose gel (Moormann and Hulst, 1988). Before use, the single stranded DNA probe was incubated with cytoplasmic RNA from mock-infected lung alveolar macrophages.

[0097] The relationship between LV cDNA clones was determined by restriction enzyme analysis and by hybridization of Southern blots of the digested DNA with nick-translated cDNA probes (Sambrook et al., 1989).

[0098] To obtain the 3′ end of the viral genome, we constructed a second cDNA library, using oligo (dT)₁₂₋₁₈ and a 3′ LV-specific oligonucleotide that was complementary to the minus-strand viral genome as a primer in the first-strand reaction. The reaction conditions for first- and second-strand synthesis were identical to those described above. This library was screened with virus-specific 3′ end oligonucleotide probes.

[0099] Most (>95%) of the cDNA sequences were determined with an Automated Laser Fluorescent A.L.F.™. DNA sequencer from Pharmacia LKB. Fluorescent oligonucleotide primer directed sequencing was performed on double-stranded DNA using the AutoRead™. Sequencing Kit (Pharmacia) essentially according to procedures C and D described in the Autoread™ Sequencing Kit protocol. Fluorescent primers were prepared with FluorePrime™. (Pharmacia). The remaining part of the sequence was determined via double-stranded DNA sequencing using oligonucleotide primers in conjunction with a T7 polymerase based sequencing kit (Pharmacia) and α-³²S-dATP (Amersham). Sequence data were analyzed using the sequence analysis programs PCGENE (Intelligenetics, Inc, Mountain View, U.S.A.) and FASTA (Pearson and Lipman, 1988).

[0100] Experimental Reproduction of MSD

[0101] Fourteen conventionally reared pregnant sows that were pregnant for 10-11 weeks were tested for antibody against LA in the IPMA. All were negative. Then two groups of four sows were formed and brought to the CVI. At week 12 of gestation, these sows were inoculated intranasally with 2 ml LA (passage level 3, titre 10^(4.8) TCID₅₀ /ml). Serum and EDTA blood samples were taken at day 10 after inoculation. Food intake, rectal temperature, and other clinical symptoms were observed daily. At farrowing, the date of birth and the number of dead and living piglets per sow were recorded, and samples were taken for virus isolation and serology.

Results

[0102] Immunofluorescence

[0103] Tissue sections of pigs with MSD were stained in an IFT with FITC-conjugates directed against African swine fever virus, hog cholera virus, pseudorabies virus, porcine parvo virus, porcine influenza virus, encephalomyocarditis virus and Chlamydia psittaci. The sections were stained, examined by fluorescent microscopy and all were found negative.

[0104] Virus Isolation from Piglets from MSD Affected Farms

[0105] Cytopathic isolates were detected in macrophage cultures inoculated with tissue samples of MSD affected, two-to-ten day old piglets. Sixteen out of 19 piglets originating from five different farms were positive (Table 1A). These isolates all reacted in IPMA with the post-infection serum of pig c 829, whereas non-inoculated control cultures did not react. The isolates, therefore, were representatives of LA. One time a cytopathic isolate was detected in an SK-6 cell culture inoculated with a suspension of an oral swab from a piglet from a sixth farm (farm VE) (Table 1A). This isolate showed characteristics of the picoma viridae and was neutralized by serum specific for PEV 2, therefore, the isolate was identified as PEV 2 (Table 3). PK2, PK-15 cells and hen eggs inoculated with samples from this group remained negative throughout.

[0106] Virus Isolation from Sows from MSD Affected Farms

[0107] Cytopathic isolates were detected in macrophage cultures inoculated with samples of MSD affected sows. 41 out of 63 sows originating from 11 farms were positive (Table 1B). These isolates all reacted in IPMA with the post-infection serum of pig b 822 and were, therefore, representatives of LA. On one occasion a cytopathic isolate was detected in a PK2 cell culture inoculated with a suspension of a leucocyte fraction of a sow from farm HU (Table 1B). This isolate showed characteristics of the picoma viridae and was neutralized by serum specific for EMCV, therefore, the isolate was identified as EMCV (Table 3). SK-6, PK-15 cells and hen eggs inoculated with samples from this group remained negative.

[0108] Virus Isolation from SPF Pigs Kept in Contact with MSD Affected Sows

[0109] Cytopathic isolates were detected in macrophage cultures inoculated with samples of SPF pigs kept in contact with MSD affected sows. Four of the 12 pigs were positive (Table 2). These isolates all reacted in IPMA with the post-infection serum of pig c 829 and of pig b 822 and were, therefore, representatives of LA. Cytopathic isolates were also detected in PK2, PK-15 and SK-6 cell cultures inoculated with samples of these SPF pigs. Seven of the 12 pigs were positive (Table 2), these isolates were all neutralized by serum directed against PEV 7. One of these seven isolates was studied further and other characteristics also identified the isolate as PEV 7 (Table 3).

[0110] Virus Isolation from SPF Pigs Inoculated with Blood of MSD Affected Sows

[0111] Cytopathic isolates were detected in macrophage cultures inoculated with samples of SPF pigs inoculated with blood of MSD affected sows. Two out of the eight pigs were positive (Table 2). These isolates all reacted in IPMA with the post-infection serum of pig c 829 and of pig b 822 and were, therefore, representatives of LA. PK2, SK-6 and PK-15 cells inoculated with samples from this group remained negative.

[0112] Summarizing, four groups of pigs were tested for the presence of agents that could be associated with mystery swine disease (MSD).

[0113] In group one, MSD affected piglets, the Lelystad Agent (LA) was isolated from 16 out of 20 piglets; one time PEV 2 was isolated.

[0114] In group two, MSD affected sows, the Lelystad Agent was isolated from 41 out of 63 sows; one time EMCV was isolated. Furthermore, 123 out of 165 MSD affected sows seroconverted to the Lelystad Agent, as tested in the IPMA. Such massive seroconversion was not demonstrated against any of the other viral pathogens tested.

[0115] In group three, SPF pigs kept in contact with MSD affected sows, LA was isolated from four of the 12 pigs; PEV 7 was isolated from seven pigs. All 12 pigs seroconverted to LA and PEV 7.

[0116] In group four, SPF pigs inoculated with blood of MSD affected sows, the LA was isolated from two pigs. All eight pigs seroconverted to LA.

[0117] Serology of Sows from MSD Affected Farms

[0118] Paired sera from sows affected with MSD were tested against a variety of viral pathogens and against the isolates obtained during this study (Table 4). An overwhelming antibody response directed against LA was measured in the IPMA (75% of the sows seroconverted, in 23 out of the 26 farms seroconversion was found), whereas with none of the other viral pathogens a clear pattern of seroconversion was found. Neutralizing antibody directed against LA was not detected.

[0119] Serology of SPF Pigs Kept in Contact with MSD Affected Sows

[0120] All eight SPF pigs showed an antibody response in the IPMA against LA (Table 5). None of these sera were positive in the IPMA performed on uninfected macrophages. None of these sera were positive in the SNT for LA. The sera taken two weeks after contact had all high neutralizing antibody titres (>1280) against PEV 7, whereas the pre-infection sera were negative (<10), indicating that all pigs had also been infected with PEV 7.

[0121] Serology of SPF Pigs Inoculated with Blood of MSD Affected Sows

[0122] All eight SPF pigs showed an antibodyresponse in the IPMA against LA (Table 5). None of these sera were positive in the IPMA performed on uninfected macrophages. None of these sera were positive in the SNT for LA. The pre- and two weeks post-inoculation sera were negative (<10) against PEV 7.

[0123] Further Identification of Lelystad Agent

[0124] LA did not haemagglutinate with chicken, guinea pig, pig, sheep, or human O red blood cells.

[0125] LA did not react in IPMA with sera directed against PRV, TGE, PED, ASFV, etc.

[0126] After two blind passages, LA did not grow in PK2, PK-15, or SK-6 cells, or in embryonated hen eggs, inoculated through the allantoic route.

[0127] LA was still infectious after it was filtered through a 0.2 micron filter, titres before and after filitration were 10^(5.05) and 10^(5.3) TCID₅₀ as detected by IPMA.

[0128] Growth curve of LA (see FIG. 3). Maximum titres of cell-free virus were approximately 10^(5.5)TCID₅₀ ml⁻¹ from 32-48 h after inoculation. After that time the macrophages he cytopathic effect of LA.

[0129] Electronmicroscopy. Clusters of spherical LA particles were found. The particles measured 45-55 nm in diameter and contained a 30-35 nm nucleocapsid that was surrounded by a lipid bilayer membrane. LA particles were not found in infected cultures that were treated with negative serum or in negative control preparations.

[0130] Isolates from the Netherlands, Germany, and the United States. All seven isolates were isolated in porcine alveolar macrophages and passaged three to five times. All isolates caused a cytopathic effect in macrophages and could be specifically immunostained with anti-LA sera b 822 and the 42 dpi serum 23. The isolates were named NL2, GE1, GE 2, US1, US2, and US3.

[0131] Antigenic relationships ofisolates NL1, NL2, GE1, GE2, US 1, US2, and US3. None of the field sera reacted in IPMA with uninfected macrophages but all sera contained antibodies directed against one or more of the seven isolates (Table 7). None of the experimental sera reacted in IPMA with uninfected macrophages, and none of the 0 dpi experimental sera reacted with any of the seven isolates in IPMA (Table 8). All seven LA isolates reacted with all or most of the sera from the set of experimental sera of pigs 21, 23, 25, and 29, taken after 0 dpi. Only the isolates US1, US2, and US3 reacted with all or most of the sera from the set of experimental sera of gilts 2B, 9G, 16W, and 16Y, taken after 0 dpi.

[0132] Radioimmunoprecipitation studies. Seven LA-specific proteins were detected in LA-infected macrophages but not in uninfected macrophages precipitated with the 42 dpi sera of pigs b 822 and 23. The proteins had estimated molecular weights of 65, 39, 35, 26, 19, 16, and 15 kilodalton. Only two of these LA-specific proteins, of 16 and 15 kilodalton, were also precipitated by the 26 dpi serum MN8.

[0133] Sequence and Organization of the Genome of LV

[0134] The nature of the genome of LV was determined by analyzing DNA and RNA from infected porcine lung alveolar macrophages. No LV-specific DNA was detected. However, we did detect LV-specific RNA. In a 0.8% neutral agarose gel, LV RNA migrated slightly slower than a preparation of hog cholera virus RNA of 12.3 kb (Moormann et al., 1990) did. Although no accurate size determination can be performed in neutral agarose gels, it was estimated that the LV-specific RNA is about 14.5 to 15.5 kb in length.

[0135] To determine the complexity of the LV-specific RNAs in infected cells and to establish the nucleotide sequence of the genome of LV, we prepared cDNA from RNA of LV-infected porcine lung alveolar macrophages and selected and mapped LV-specific cDNA clones as described under Materials and Methods. The specificity of the cDNA clones was reconfirmed by hybridizing specific clones, located throughout the overlapping cDNA sequence, to Northern blots carrying RNA of LV-infected and uninfected macrophages. Remarkably, some of the cDNA clones hybridized with the 14.5 to 15.5 kb RNA detected in infected macrophages only, whereas others hybridized with the 14.5 to 15.5 kb RNA as well as with a panel of 4 or 5 RNAs of lower molecular weight (estimated size, 1 to 4 kb). The latter clones were all clustered at one end of the cDNA map and covered about 4 kb of DNA. These data suggested that the genome organization of LV may be similar to that of coronaviridae (Spaan et al., 1988), Berne virus (BEV; Snijder et al., 1990b), a torovirus, and EAV (de Vries et al., 1990), i.e., besides a genomic RNA there are subgenomic mRNAs which form a nested set which is located at the 3′ end of the genome. This assumption was confirmed when sequences of the cDNA clones became available and specific primers could be selected to probe the blots with. A compilation of the hybridization data obtained with cDNA clones and specific primers, which were hybridized to Northern blots carrying the RNA of LV-infected and uninfected macrophages, is shown in FIG. 2. Clones 12 and 20 which are located in the 5′ part and the centre of the sequence, respectively, hybridize to the 14.5 to 15.5 kb genomic RNA detected in LV-infected cells only. Clones 41 and 39, however, recognize the 14.5 to 15.5 kb genomic RNA and a set of 4 and 5 RNAs of lower molecular weight, respectively. The most instructive and conclusive hybridization pattern, however, was obtained with primer 25, which is located at the ultimate 5′ end in the LV sequence (compare FIG. 1). Primer 25 hybridized to a panel of 7 RNAs, with an estimated molecular weight ranging in size from 0.7 to 3.3 kb (subgenomic mRNAs), as well as the genomic RNA. The most likely explanation for the hybridization pattern of primer 25 is that 5′ end genomic sequences, the length of which is yet unknown, fuse with the body of the mRNAs which are transcribed from the 3′ end of the genome. In fact, the hybridization pattern obtained with primer 25 suggests that 5′ end genomic sequences function as a so called “leader sequence” in subgenomic mRNAs. Such a transcription pattern is a hallmark of replication of coronaviridae (Spaan et al., 1988), and of EAV (de Vries et al., 1990).

[0136] The only remarkable discrepancy between LV and EAV which could be extracted from the above data is that the genome size of LV is about 2.5 kb larger than that of EAV.

[0137] The consensus nucleotide sequence of overlapping cDNA clones is shown in FIG. 1 (SEQ ID NO: 1). The length of the sequence is 15,088 basepairs, which is in good agreement with the estimated size of the genomic LV RNA.

[0138] Since the LV cDNA library was made by random priming of the reverse transcriptase reaction with calf thymus pd(N) 6 primers, no cDNA clones were obtained which started with a poly-A stretch at their 3′ end. To clone the 3′ end of the viral genome, we constructed a second cDNA library, using oligo (dT) and primer 39U183R in the reverse transcriptase reaction. Primer 39U183R is complementary to LV minus-strand RNA, which is likely present in a preparation of RNA isolated from LV-infected cells. This library was screened with virus-specific probes (nick-translated cDNA clone 119 and oligonucleotide 119R64R), resulting in the isolation of five additional cDNA clones (e.g., cDNA clone 151, FIG. 2). Sequencing of these cDNA clones revealed that LV contains a 3′ poly(A) tail. The length of the poly(A) tail varied between the various cDNA clones, but its maximum length was twenty nucleotides. Besides clone 25 and 155 (FIG. 2), four additional cDNA clones were isolated at the 5′ end of the genome, which were only two to three nucleotides shorter than the ultimate 5′ nucleotide shown in FIG. 1 (SEQ ID NO: 1). Given this finding and given the way cDNA was synthesized, we assume to be very close to the 5′ end of the sequence of LV genomic RNA.

[0139] Nearly 75% of the genomic sequence of LV encodes ORF 1A and ORF 1B. ORF 1A probably initiates at the first AUG (nucleotide position 212, FIG. 1) encountered in the LV sequence. The C-terminus of ORF 1A overlaps the putative N-terminus of ORF 1 B over a small distance of 16 nucleotides. It thus seems that translation of ORF 1B proceeds via ribosomal frameshifling, a hallmark of the mode of translation of the polymerase or replicase gene of coronaviruses (Boursnell et al., 1987; Bredenbeek et al. 1990) and the torovirus BEV (Snijder et al., 1990a). The characteristic RNA pseudoknot structure which is predicted to be formed at the site of the ribosomal frameshifting is also found at this location in the sequence of LV (results not shown).

[0140] ORF 1B encodes an amino acid sequence (SEQ ID NO: 3) of nearly 1400 residues which is much smaller than ORF 1B of the coronaviruses MHV and IBV (about 3,700 amino acid residues; Bredenbeek et al., 1990; Boursnell et al., 1987) and BEV (about 2,300 amino acid residues; Snijder et al., 1990a). Characteristic features of the ORF 1B product (SEQ ID NO: 3) of members of the superfamily of coronaviridae, like the replicase motif and the Zinc finger domain, can also be found in ORF 1B of LV (results not shown).

[0141] Whereas ORF 1A and ORF 1B encode the viral polymerase (SEQ ID NO:2 and SEQ ID NO:3) and, therefore, are considered to encode a non-structural viral protein, ORFs 2 to 7 are believed to encode structural viral proteins (SEQ ID NOS:4-9).

[0142] The products of ORFs 2 to 6 (SEQ ID NOS:4-8) all show features reminiscent of membrane (envelope) associated proteins. ORF 2 encodes a protein (SEQ ID NO:4) of 249 amino acids containing two predicted N-linked glycosylation sites (Table 9). At the N-terminus a hydrophobic sequence, which may function as a so-called signal sequence, is identified. The C-terminus also ends with a hydrophobic sequence, which in this case may function as a transmembrane region, which anchors the ORF 2 product (SEQ ID NO:4) in the viral envelope membrane.

[0143] ORF 3 may initiate at the AUG starting at nucleotide position 12394 or at the AUG starting at nucleotide position 12556 and then encodes proteins (SEQ ID NO:5) of 265 and 211 amino acids, respectively. The protein of 265 residues contains seven putative N-linked glycosylation sites, whereas the protein of 211 residues contains four (Table 9). At the N-terminus of the protein (SEQ ID NO:5) of 265 residues a hydrophobic sequence is identified.

[0144] Judged by hydrophobicity analysis, the topology of the protein encoded by ORF 4 (SEQ ID NO:6) is similar to that encoded by ORF 2 (SEQ ID NO:4) if the product of ORF 4 (SEQ ID NO:6) initiates at the AUG starting at nucleotide position 12936. However, ORF 4 may also initiate at two other AUG codons (compare FIGS. 1 and 2) starting at positions 12981 and 13068 in the sequence respectively. Up to now it is unclear which start codon is used. Depending on the start codon used, ORF 4 may encode proteins (SEQ ID NO:6) of 183 amino acids containing four putative N-linked glycosylation sites, of 168 amino acids containing four putative N-linked glycosylation sites, or of 139 amino acids containing three putative N-linked glycosylation sites (Table 9).

[0145] ORF 5 is predicted to encode a protein (SEQ ID NO:7) of 201 amino acids having two putative N-linked glycosylation sites (Table 9). A characteristic feature of the ORF 5 product (SEQ ID NO:7) is the internal hydrophobic sequence between amino acid 108 to amino acid 132.

[0146] Analysis for membrane spanning segments andhydrophilicity of the product of ORF 6 (SEQ ID NO:8) shows that it contains three transmembrane spanning segments in the N-terminal 90 amino acids of its sequence. This remarkable feature is also a characteristic of the small envelope glycoprotein M or E1 of several coronaviruses, e.g., Infectious Bronchitis Virus (IBV; Boursnell et al., 1984) and Mouse Hepatitis Virus (MHV: Rottier et al., 1986). It is, therefore, predicted that the protein encoded by ORF 6 (SEQ ID NO:8) was a membrane topology analogous to that of the M or E1 protein of coronaviruses (Rottier et al., 1986). A second characteristic of the M or E1 protein is a so-called surface helix which is located immediately adjacent to the presumed third transmembrane region. This sequence of about 25 amino acids which is very well conserved among coronaviruses is also recognized, although much more degenerate, in LV. Yet we predict the product of LV ORF 6 (SEQ ID NO:8) to have an analogous membrane associated function as the coronavirus M or E1 protein. Furthermore, the protein encoded by ORF 6 (SEQ ID NO:8) showed a strong similarity (53% identical amino acids) with VpX (Godeny et al., 1990) of LDV.

[0147] The protein encoded by ORF 7 (SEQ ID NO:9) has a length of 128 amino acid residues (Table 9) which is 13 amino acids longer than Vp1 of LDV (Godeny et al., 1990). Yet a significant similarity (43% identical amino acids) was observed between the protein encoded by ORF 7 (SEQ ID NO:9) and Vp1. Another shared characteristic between the product of ORF 7 (SEQ ID NO:9) and Vp1 is the high concentration of basic residues (Arg, Lys and His) in the N-terminal half of the protein. Up to amino acid 55, the LV sequence contains 26% Arg, Lys and His. This finding is fully in line with the proposed function of the ORF 7 product (SEQ ID NO:9) or Vp1 (Godeny et al., 1990), namely encapsidation of the viral genomic RNA. On the basis of the above data, we propose the LV ORF 7 product (SEQ ID NO:9) to be the nucleocapsid protein N of the virus.

[0148] A schematic representation of the organization of the LV genome is shown in FIG. 2. The map of overlapping clones used to determine the sequence of LV is shown in the top panel. A linear compilation of this map indicating the 5′ and 3′ end of the nucleotide sequence of LV, shown in FIG. 1 (SEQ ID NO:1), including a division in kilobases, is shown below the map of cDNA clones and allows the positioning of these clones in the sequence. The position of the ORFs identified in the LV genome is indicated below the linear map of the LV sequence. The bottom panel shows the nested set of subgenomic mRNAs, and the position of these RNAs relative to the LV sequence.

[0149] In line with the translation strategy of coronavirus, torovirus and arterivirus subgenomic mRNAs, it is predicted that ORFs 1 to 6 are translated from the unique 5′ end of their genomic or mRNAs. This unique part of the mRNAs is considered to be that part of the RNA that is obtained when a lower molecular weight RNA is “subtracted” from the higher molecular weight RNA which is next in line. Although RNA 7 forms the 3′ end of all the other genomic and subgenomic RNAs, and thus does not have a unique region, it is believed that ORF 7 is only translated from this smallest sized mRNA. The “leader sequence” at the 5′ end of the subgenomic RNAs is indicated with a solid box. The length of this sequence is about 200 bases, but the precise site of fusion with the body of the genomic RNAs still has to be determined.

[0150] Experimental Reproduction of MSD

[0151] Eight pregnant sows were inoculated with LA and clinical signs of MSD such as inappetance and reproductive losses were reproduced in these sows. From day four to day 10-12 post-inoculation (p.i.), all sows showed a reluctance to eat. None of the sows had elevated body temperatures. Two sows had bluish ears at day 9 and 10 p.i. In Table 6 the day of birth and the number of living and dead piglets per sow is given. LA was isolated from 13 of the born piglets. TABLE 1 Description and results of virus isolation of field samples. A Samples of piglets suspected of infection with MSD. number age farm of pigs days material used results* RB  5  2 lung, tonsil, and brains  5 × LA DV  4  3 lung, brains,  3 × LA pools of kidney, spleen TH  3 3-5 lung, pools of kidney, tonsil  3 × LA DO  3 10 lung, tonsil  2 × LA ZA  4  1 lung, tonsil  3 × LA VE  1 ? oral swab  1 × PEV 2 TOTAL 20 16 × LA,  1 × PEV 2 B Samples of sows suspected of infection with MSD. number farm of sows material used results TH 2 plasma and leucocytes  1 × LA HU 5 plasma and leucocytes  2 × LA, 1 × EMCV TS 10 plasma and leucocytes  6 × LA HK 5 plasma and leucocytes  2 × LA LA 6 plasma and leucocytes  2 × LA VL 6 serum and leucocytes  5 × LA TA 15 serum 11 × LA LO 4 plasma and leucocytes  2 × LA JA 8 plasma and leucocytes  8 × LA VD 1 plasma and leucocytes  1 × LA VW 1 serum  1 × LA TOTAL 63 41 × LA, 1 × EMCV

[0152] TABLE 2 Description and results of virus isolation of samples of pigs with experimentally induced infections. sow pig@ material used results* A (LO) # c 835 lung, tonsil  2 × LA c 836 nasal swabs  2 × PEV 7 c 837 nasal swabs B (JA) c 825 lung, tonsil c 821 nasal swabs  1 × PEV 7 c 823 nasal swabs  4 × PEV 7 C (JA) c 833 lung, tonsil  1 × LA,  1 × PEV 7 c 832 nasal swabs  2 × PEV 7 c 829 nasal swabs, plasma and  3 × LA, leucocytes  2 × PEV 7 D (VD) c 816 lung, tonsil c 813 nasal swabs  1 × LA c 815 nasal swabs  1 × PEV 7 TOTAL isolates from contact pigs  7 × LA, 13 × PEV 7 A b 809 nasal swabs b 817 nasal swabs B b 818 nasal swabs, plasma 1 × LA and leucocytes b 820 nasal swabs C b 822 nasal swabs b 826 nasal swabs D b 830 nasal swabs 1 × LA b 834 nasal swabs TOTAL isolates from blood inoculated pigs 2 × LA #a separate stable. EDTA blood for virus isolation from plasma and leucocytes was taken whenever a pig had fever.

[0153] TABLE 3 Identification of viral isolates buoyant¹ particle² neutralized by⁴ origin and density size in sens³ to serum directed cell culture in CsCl FM (nm) chloroform against (titre) leucocytes 1.33 g/ml 28-30 not sens. EMCV ( 1280) sow farm HU PK-15, PK2, SK6 oral swab ND 28-30 not sens. PEV 2 (>1280) piglet farm VE SK6 nasal swabs, ND 28-30 not sens. PEV 7 (>1280) tonsil SPF pigs CVI PK-15, PK2, SK6 various 1.19 g/ml pleomorf sens. none (all <5) samples various farms pig lung macrophages #entero viruses (PEV) 1 to 11 (courtesy Dr. Knowles, Pirbright, UK), against encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV; courtesy Dr. Ahl, Tübingen, Germany), against porcine parvo virus, and against swine vesicular disease. #leukemia virus from the SPF-pigs (see Table 5).

[0154] TABLE 4 Results of serology of paired field sera taken from sows suspected to have MSD. Sera were taken in the acute phase of the disease and 3-9 weeks later. Given is the number of sows which showed a fourfold or higher rise in titre/number of sows tested. Interval^(i) Farm in weeks HAI HEV H1N1 H3N2 ELISA PPV PPV BVDV HCV TH 3 0/6 0/6 0/6 0/6 0/6 0/5 0/6 RB 5 0/13 1/13 0/13 1/9 0/7 0/6 0/9 HU 4 0/5 0/5 3/5 0/5 0/5 0/5 0/5 TS 3 1/10 0/10 0/10 0/10 0/10 0/4 0/10 VL 3 0/5 0/5 0/5 0/5 1/5 0/5 0/5 JA 3 0/11 1/11 3/11 0/11 2/11 0/11 0/11 WE 4 1/6 1/6 1/6 3/7 3/7 0/7 0/7 GI 4 0/4 1/4 0/4 0/4 0/4 0/4 0/4 SE 5 0/8 0/8 0/8 0/8 0/6 0/3 0/8 KA 5 0/1 0/1 0/1 0/1 0/1 ND 0/1 HO 3 1/6 0/5 1/6 0/6 0/6 0/6 0/6 NY 4 0/5 1/5 1/5 0/3 0/4 0/2 0/4 JN 3 0/10 5/10 0/10 0/10 1/10 0/10 0/10 KO^(f) 3 1/10 0/10 0/10 0/10 2/10 0/10 0/10 OE 9 ND ND ND 0/6 0/6 0/6 0/6 LO 6 ND ND ND 0/3 0/3 0/2 0/3 WI 4 ND ND ND 0/1 1/1 0/1 0/3 RR 3 ND ND ND 1/8 0/8 0/8 0/8 RY 4 ND ND ND 0/3 0/4 0/3 0/4 BE 5 ND ND ND 0/10 0/10 0/10 0/10 BU 3 ND ND ND 1/6 0/6 0/6 0/6 KR 3 ND ND ND 1/4 0/4 0/4 0/4 KW 5 ND ND ND 0/10 0/10 0/10 0/10 VR 5 ND ND ND 1/6 0/6 0/6 0/6 HU 4 ND ND ND 1/4 0/3 0/3 0/4 ME 3 ND ND ND 0/5 1/5 0/5 0/5 total negative^(n)  19 41  29  97  16 140 165 total positive^(p)  77 48  62  55 131  1  0 total sero-converted^(s)  4 10  9  9  11  0  0 total tested 100 99 100 161 158 141 165 Interval SNT IPMA Farm in weeks EMCV EMCVi PEV2 PEV2i PEV7 PEV7i LA LA TH 3 0/6 0/6 0/5 0/5 0/6 0/5 0/6  6/6 RB 5 1/7 1/9 0/6 2/6 1/8 0/6 0/13  7/9 HU 4 ND 0/5 0/5 0/5 ND 0/5 0/5  5/5 TS 3 0/10 0/10 0/7 0/4 0/10 0/7 ND 10/10 VL 3 ND ND 1/5 0/5 ND 0/5 ND  5/5 JA 3 0/11 0/11 0/11 0/11 1/11 2/11 0/5  8/11 WE 4 1/7 1/6 1/6 1/7 1/7 1/7 0/7  7/7 GI 4 0/4 0/4 0/4 0/4 0/4 0/4 0/4  4/4 SE 5 0/8 0/8 0/6 1/8 0/8 1/5 0/8  6/8 KA 5 0/1 0/1 0/1 0/1 0/1 0/1 0/1  0/1 HO 3 0/6 0/6 0/6 0/6 0/6 0/6 0/6  4/6 NY 4 0/4 0/4 0/2 0/2 0/4 0/3 0/4  4/4 JN 3 0/10 0/10 1/10 0/9 0/10 0/10 0/10  5/10 KO^(f) 3 0/10 0/10 2/10 2/10 1/10 3/10 ND  8/10 OE 9 0/6 0/6 1/6 1/5 ND 1/6 ND  4/6 LO 6 0/3 0/3 0/3 0/3 0/3 0/3 ND  3/3 WI 4 ND ND 0/1 0/1 ND 0/1 ND  0/3 RR 3 0/8 1/8 0/8 0/8 0/8 0/8 ND  8/8 RY 4 0/4 ND 0/4 0/1 ND 1/4 ND  1/4 BE 5 ND ND 0/10 0/10 ND 1/10 ND  0/10 BU 3 ND ND 0/6 0/6 ND 0/6 ND  6/6 KR 3 ND ND 0/4 0/4 ND 0/4 ND  1/4 KW 5 ND ND 0/10 0/10 ND 1/10 ND 10/10 VR 5 ND ND 0/6 1/6 ND 0/6 ND  6/6 HU 4 ND ND 0/3 0/4 ND 0/3 ND  3/4 ME 3 ND ND 0/5 0/5 ND 0/5 ND  2/5 total neg.^(n)  15  29  0  0  2  1 69  15 total pos.^(p)  88  74 144 138 90 136  0  27 total sero-converted^(s)  2  3  6  8  4  10  0 123 total tested 105 107 150 146 96 147 69 165

[0155] TABLE 5 Development of antibody directed against Lelystad Agent as measured by IPMA. A contact pigs serum titres in IPMA Weeks post contact: Pig 0 2 3 4 5 c 836 0 10 640 640 640 c 837 0 10 640 640 640 c 821 0 640 640 640 640 c 823 0 160 2560 640 640 c 829 0 160 640 10240 10240 c 832 0 160 640 640 2560 c 813 0 640 2560 2560 2560 c 815 0 160 640 640 640 B blood inoculated pigs serum titres in IPMA Weeks post inoculation: Pig 0 2 3 4 6 b 809 0 640 2560 2560 2560 b 817 0 160 640 640 640 b 818 0 160 640 640 640 b 820 0 160 640 640 640 b 822 0 640 2560 2560 10240 b 826 0 640 640 640 10240 b 830 0 640 640 640 2560 b 834 0 160 640 2560 640

[0156] TABLE 6 Experimental reproduction of MSD. No. of piglets Length at birth No. of LA¹ in piglets of alive dead deaths born died in Sow gestation (Number Ab pos)² week 1 dead week 1 52 113 12 (5)  3 (2) 6 2 4 965 116  3 (0)  9 (3) 2 4 997 114  9 (0)  1 (0) 0 1305 116  7 (0)  2 (0) 1 134 109  4 (4)  7 (4) 4 3 941 117  7 10 1056 113  7 (1)  3 (0) 4 1065 115  9  2

[0157] TABLE 7 Reactivity in IPMA of a collection of field sera from Europe and North America tested with LA isolates from the Netherlands (NL1 and NL2), Germany (GE1 and GE2), and the United States (US1, US2 and US3). Isolates: NL1 NL2 GE1 GE2 US1 US2 US3 Sera from: The Netherlands TH-187 3.5_(t) 3.5 2.5 3.5 − − − TO-36 3.5 3.0 2.5 3.0 − 1.0 − Germany BE-352 4.0 3.5 2.5 3.0 − 1.5 − BE-392 3.5 3.5 2.5 2.5 1.5 1.5 0.5 NI-f2 2.5 1.5 2.0 2.5 − − − United Kingdom PA-141615 4.0 3.0 3.0 3.5 − − − PA-141617 4.0 3.5 3.0 3.5 − 2.5 2.0 PA-142440 3.5 3.0 2.5 3.5 − 2.0 2.5 Belgium PE-1960 4.5 4.5 3.0 4.0 1.5 − − France EA-2975 4.0 3.5 3.0 3.0 2.0 − − EA-2985 3.5 3.0 3.0 2.5 − − − United States SL-441 3.5 1.5 2.5 2.5 3.5 3.5 3.0 SL-451 3.0 2.0 2.5 2.5 3.5 4.5 4.0 AL-RP9577 1.5 − − 1.0 3.0 4.0 2.5 AL-P10814/33 0.5 2.5 − − 2.5 3.5 3.0 AL-4094A − − − − 1.0 2.0 0.5 AL-7525 − − − − − 1.0 − JC-MN41 − − − − 1.0 3.5 1.0 JC-MN44 − − − − 2.0 3.5 2.0 JC-MN45 − − − − 2.0 3.5 2.5 Canada RB-16 2.5 − 3.0 2.0 3.0 3.5 − RB-19 1.0 − 1.0 − 2.5 1.5 − RB-22 1.5 − 2.0 2.5 2.5 3.5 − RB-23 − − − − − 3.0 −

[0158] TABLE 8 Reactivity in IPMA of a collection of experimental sera raised against LA and SIRSV tested with LA isolates from the Netherlands (NL1 and NL2), Germany (GE1 and GE2), and the United States (US1, US2 and US3). Isolates: NL1 NL2 GE1 GE2 US1 US2 US3 Sera: anti-LA: 21 14 dpi 2.5^(t) 2.0 2.5 3.0 1.5 2.0 1.5 28 dpi 4.0 3.5 3.5 4.0 − 2.5 1.5 42 dpi 4.0 3.5 3.0 3.5 1.5 2.5 2.0 23 14 dpi 3.0 2.0 2.5 3.0 1.0 2.0 1.0 28 dpi 3.5 3.5 3.5 4.0 1.5 2.0 2.0 42 dpi 4.0 4.0 3.0 4.0 − 2.5 2.5 25 14 dpi 2.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 1.5 2.0 1.0 28 dpi 4.0 3.5 4.0 3.5 − 1.5 2.0 42 dpi 3.5 4.0 3.5 3.5 1.5 2.0 2.0 29 14 dpi 3.5 3.5 3.0 3.5 − 2.0 1.5 28 dpi 3.5 3.5 3.0 3.5 − 2.5 2.0 42 dpi 4.0 3.5 3.5 4.0 1.5 2.5 2.5 anti- SIRSV: 2B 20 dpi − − − − 2.0 2.0 − 36 dpi − − − − 1.5 2.0 − 63 dpi − − − − 1.0 1.0 − 9G 30 dpi − − − − 2.5 3.0 − 44 dpi − − − − 2.5 3.5 − 68 dpi − − − − 2.0 3.5 1.5 16W 25 dpi − − − − 2.0 3.0 − 40 dpi − − − − 2.0 3.0 − 64 dpi − − − − 2.5 2.5 1.5 16Y 36 dpi − − − − 1.0 3.0 1.0 64 dpi − − − − 2.5 3.0 −

[0159] TABLE 9 Characteristics of the ORFs of Lelystad Virus. Calculated No. of size of the number of Nucleotides amino unmodified glycosylation ORF (first-last) acids peptide (kDa) sites ORF1A  212-7399 2396 260.0 3 (SEQ ID NO: 2) ORF1B  7384-11772 1463 161.8 3 (SEQ ID NO: 3) ORF2 11786-12532 249 28.4 2 (SEQ ID NO: 4) ORF3 12394-13188 265 30.6 7 (SEQ ID NO: 5) 12556-13188 211 24.5 4 ORF4 12936-13484 183 20.0 4 (SEQ ID NO: 6) 12981-13484 168 18.4 4 13068-13484 139 15.4 3 ORF5 13484-14086 201 22.4 2 (SEQ ID NO: 7) ORF6 14077-14595 173 18.9 2 (SEQ ID NO: 8) ORF7 14588-14971 128 13.8 1 (SEQ ID NO: 9)

REFERENCES

[0160] Boer, G. F. de, Back, W., and Osterhaus, A. D. M. E. (1990), An ELISA for detection of antibodies against influenza A nucleoprotein in human and various animal species, Arch. Virol. 115, 47-61.

[0161] Boursnell, M. E. G., Brown, T. D. K., and Binns, M. M. (1984), Sequence of the membrane protein gene from avian coronavirus IBV, Virus Res. 1, 303-314.

[0162] Boursnell, M. E. G., Brown, T. D. K., Foulds, I. J., Green, P. F., Tomley, F. M., and Binns, M. M. (1987), Completion of the sequence of the genome of the coronavirus avian infectious bronchitis virus, J. Gen. Virol. 68, 57-77.

[0163] Brakke, M. K. (1967), In: Methods in Virology, Volume II, pp. 93-117 (Edited by K. Maramorosch and H. Koprowski) New York, Academic Press.

[0164] Bredenbeek, P. J., Pachuk, C. J., Noten, J. F. H., Charite, J., Luytjes, W., Weiss, S. R., and Spaan, W. J. M. (1990), The primary structure and expression of the second open reading frame of the polymerase gene of coronavirus MHV-A59. Nucleic Acids Res. 18, 1825-1832.

[0165] Brenner, S., and Home, R. W. (1959), A negative staining method for high resolution electron microscopy of viruses, Biochimica et Biophysica Acta 34, 103-110.

[0166] Brinton-Damell, M., and Plagemann, P. G. (1975), Structure and chemical-physical characteristics of lactate dehydrogenase-elevating virus and its RNA, J. Virol. 16, 420-433.

[0167] Favaloro, J., Treisman, R. & Kamen, R. (1980), In: Methods in Enzymology, vol. 65, 718-749 (eds. Grossman, L. & Moldave, K.) Academic Press, New York.

[0168] Godeny, E. K., Speicher, D. W., and Brinton, M. A. (1990), Map location of lactate dehydrogenase-elevating virus (LDV) capsid protein (VpI) gene, Virology, 177, 768-771.

[0169] Grist, N. R., Ross, C. A., and Bell, E. J. (1974), In: Diagnostic Methods in Clinical Virology, p. 120, Oxford, Blackwell Scientific Publications.

[0170] Güibler, U., and Hoffman, B. J. (1983), A simple and very efficient method for generating cDNA libraries, Gene 25, 263-269.

[0171] Hanahan, D. (1985), In: DNA Cloning I; A Practical Approach, Chapter 6, 109-135.

[0172] Hill, H. (1990), Overview and History of Mystery Swine Disease (Swine Infertility Respiratory Syndrome), In: Proceedings of the Mystery Swine Disease Committee Meeting, Oct. 6, 1990, Denver, Colo., Livestock Conservation Institute, Madison, Wis., U.S.A.

[0173] Hirsch, J. G. & Fedorko, M. E. (1968), Ultrastructure of human leucocytes after simultanous fixation with glutaraldehyde and osmiumtetroxide and postfixation in uranylacetate, Journal of Cellular Biology 38, 615.

[0174] Horzinek, M. C., Maess, J., and Laufs, R. (1971), Studies on the substructure of togaviruses II. Analysis of equine arteritis, rubella, bovine viral diarrhea and hog cholera viruses, Arch. Gesamte Virusforsch. 33, 306-318.

[0175] Hyllseth, B. (1973), Structural proteins of equine arteritis virus, Arch. Gesamte Virusforsch. 40, 177-188.

[0176] Kasza, L., Shadduck, J. A., and Christoffinis, G. J. (1972), Establishment, viral susceptibility and biological characteristics of a swine kidney cell line SK-6, Res. Vet. Sci. 13, 46-51.

[0177] Loula, T. (1990), Clinical Presentation of Mystery Pig Disease in the breeding herd and suckling piglets, In: Proceedings of the Mystery Swine Disease Committee Meeting, Oct. 6, 1990, Denver, Colo., Livestock Conservation Institute, Madison, Wis., U.S.A.

[0178] Masurel, N. (1976), Swine influenza virus and the recycling of influenza A viruses in man, Lancet ii, 244-247.

[0179] Mazancourt, A. de, Waxham. M. N., Nicholas, J. C., & Wolinsky, J. S. (1986), Antibody response to the rubella virus structural proteins in infants with the congenital rubella syndrome. J. Med. Virol. 19, 111-122.

[0180] Mengeling, W. L., and Lager, K. M. (1990), Mystery Pig Disease: Evidence and considerations for its etiology, In: Proceedings of the Mystery Swine Disease Committee Meeting, Oct. 6, 1990, Denver, Colo., Livestock Conservation Institute, Madison, Wis., U.S.A.

[0181] Moormann, R. J. M., and Hulst, M. M. (1988), Hog cholera virus: identification and characterization of the viral RNA and virus-specific RNA synthesized in infected swine kidney cells, Virus Res. 11, 281-291.

[0182] Moormann, R. J. M., Warmerdam, P. A. M., van derMeer, B., Schaaper, W. M. M., Wensvoort, G., and Hulst, M. M. (1990), Molecular cloning and nucleotide sequence of hog cholera virus strain Brescia and mapping of the genomic region encoding envelope protein E 1, Virology, 177, 184-198.

[0183] Oirschot, J. T. van, Houwers, D. J., Rziha, H. J., and Moonen, P. J. L. M. (1988), Development of an ELISA for detection of antibodies to glycoprotein I of Aujeszky's disease virus: a method for the serological differentiation between infected and vaccinated pigs, J. Virol. Meth. 22, 191-206.

[0184] Pearson, W. R., and Lipman, D. J. (1988), Improved tools for biological sequence comparison. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 85, 2444-2448.

[0185] Reed, L. J., and Muench, H. (1938), A simple method of estimating fifty percent endpoints, Am. J. Hyg. 27, 493-497.

[0186] Rottier, P. J. M., Welling, G. W., Welling-Wester, S., Niesters, H. G. M., Lenstra, J. M., and van der Zeijst, B. A. M. (1986), Predicted membrane topology of the coronavirus protein E 1. Biochemistry 25, 1335-1339.

[0187] Sambrook, J., Fritsch, E. F., and Maniatis, T. (1989), Molecular Cloning, A Laboratory Manual. Cold Spring Harbor Lab., Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y.

[0188] Sethna, P. B., Hung, S. L., and Brian, D. A. (1989), Coronavirus subgenomic minus-strand RNAs and the potential for mRNA replicons, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 86, 5626-5630.

[0189] Setzer, D. R., McGrogan, M., Nunberg, J. H. & Schimke, R. T. (1980), Size heterogeneity in the 3′-end of the dehydrofolate reductase messenger RNA's in mouse cells, Cell 22, 361-370.

[0190] Snijder, E. J., den Boon, J. A., Bredenbeek, P. J., Horzinek, M. C., Rijnbrand, R., and Spaan, W. J. M. (1990a), The carboxyl-terminal part of the putative Beme virus polymerase is expressed by ribosomal frameshifting and contains sequence motifs which indicate that toro- and coronaviruses are evolutionary related, Nucleic Acids Res. 18, 4535-4542.

[0191] Snijder, E. J., Horzinek, M. C., and Spaan, W. J. M. (1990b), A 3′-coterminal nested set of independently transcribed messenger RNAs is generated during Beme virus replication. J. Virol. 64, 355-363.

[0192] Spaan, W. J. M., Cavanagh, D., and Horzinek, M. C. (1988), Coronaviruses: structure and genome expression. J. Gen. Virol. 69, 2939-2952.

[0193] Strauss, W. M. (1987), Preparation of genomic DNA from mammalian tissue, In: Current protocols in molecular biology (eds. Ausubel F. M., et al.) 2.2.1 John Wiley & Sons, New York.

[0194] Terpstra, C. (1978), Detection of Border disease antigen in tissues of affected sheep and in cell cultures by immunofluorescence, Res. Vet. Sci. 25, 350-355.

[0195] Venable, J. H. & Coggeshall, R. (1965), A simplified lead citrate stain for use in electronmicroscopy, Journal of Cellular Biology 25, 407.

[0196] Vries, A. A. P. de, Chirnside, E. D., Bredenbeek, P. J., Gravestein, L. A., Horzinek, M. C., and Spaan, W. J. M. (1990), All subgenomic mRNAs of equine arteritis virus contain a common leader sequence, Nucleic Acids Res. 18, 3241-3247.

[0197] Wensvoort, G., and Terpstra, C. (1988), Bovine viral diarrhea infections in piglets from sows vaccinated against swine fever with contaminated vaccine, Res. Vet. Sci. 45, 143-148.

[0198] Wensvoort, G., Terpstra, C., and Bloemraad, M. (1988), An enzyme immunoassay, employing monoclonal antibodies and detecting specifically antibodies against classical swine fever virus, Vet. Microbiol. 17, 129-140.

[0199] Wensvoort, G., Terpstra, C., Boonsta, J., Bloemraad, M., and Zaane, D. van (1986), Production ofmonoclonal antibodies against swine fever virus and their use in laboratory diagnosis, Vet. Microbiol. 12, 101-108.

[0200] Wensvoort, G., Terpstra. C., and Kluyver, E. P. de (1989), Characterization of porcine and some ruminant pestiviruses by cross-neutralization, Vet. Microbiol. 20, 291-306.

[0201] Westenbrink, F., Middel. W. G. J., Straver, P., and Leeuw, P. W. de (1986), A blocking enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for bovine virus diarrhea virus serology, J. Vet. Med. B33, 354-361.

[0202] Westenbrink, F., Veldhuis, M. A., and Brinkhof, J. M. A. (1989), An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for detection of antibodies to porcine parvo virus, J. Virol. Meth. 23, 169-178.

[0203] Zeijst. B. A. M. van der, Horzinek, M. C., and Moennig, V. (1975), The genome of equine arteritis virus, Virology, 68, 418-425.

1 9 15108 base pairs nucleic acid single linear DNA (genomic) CDS 212..7399 CDS 7384..11772 CDS 11786..12532 CDS 12394..13188 CDS 12936..13484 CDS 13484..14086 CDS 14077..14595 CDS 14588..14971 1 GGGTATTCCC CCTACATACA CGACACTTCT AGTGTTTGTG TACCTTGGAG GCGTGGGTAC 60 AGCCCCGCCC CACCCCTTGG CCCCTGTTCT AGCCCAACAG GTATCCTTCT CTCTCGGGGC 120 GAGTGCGCCG CCTGCTGCTC CCTTGCAGCG GGAAGGACCT CCCGAGTATT TCCGGAGAGC 180 ACCTGCTTTA CGGGATCTCC ACCCTTTAAC C ATGTCTGGGA CGTTCTCCCG 231 GTGCATGTGC ACCCCGGCTG CCCGGGTATT TTGGAACGCC GGCCAAGTCT TTTGCACACG 291 GTGTCTCAGT GCGCGGTCTC TTCTCTCTCC AGAGCTTCAG GACACTGACC TCGGTGCAGT 351 TGGCTTGTTT TACAAGCCTA GGGACAAGCT TCACTGGAAA GTCCCTATCG GCATCCCTCA 411 GGTGGAATGT ACTCCATCCG GGTGCTGTTG GCTCTCAGCT GTTTTCCCTT TGGCGCGTAT 471 GACCTCCGGC AATCACAACT TCCTCCAACG ACTTGTGAAG GTTGCTGATG TTTTGTACCG 531 TGACGGTTGC TTGGCACCTC GACACCTTCG TGAACTCCAA GTTTACGAGC GCGGCTGCAA 591 CTGGTACCCG ATCACGGGGC CCGTGCCCGG GATGGGTTTG TTTGCGAACT CCATGCACGT 651 ATCCGACCAG CCGTTCCCTG GTGCCACCCA TGTGTTGACT AACTCGCCTT TGCCTCAACA 711 GGCTTGTCGG CAGCCGTTCT GTCCATTTGA GGAGGCTCAT TCTAGCGTGT ACAGGTGGAA 771 GAAATTTGTG GTTTTCACGG ACTCCTCCCT CAACGGTCGA TCTCGCATGA TGTGGACGCC 831 GGAATCCGAT GATTCAGCCG CCCTGGAGGT ACTACCGCCT GAGTTAGAAC GTCAGGTCGA 891 AATCCTCATT CGGAGTTTTC CTGCTCATCA CCCTGTCGAC CTGGCCGACT GGGAGCTCAC 951 TGAGTCCCCT GAGAACGGTT TTTCCTTCAA CACGTCTCAT TCTTGCGGTC ACCTTGTCCA 1011 GAACCCCGAC GTGTTTGATG GCAAGTGCTG GCTCTCCTGC TTTTTGGGCC AGTCGGTCGA 1071 AGTGCGCTGC CATGAGGAAC ATCTAGCTGA CGCCTTCGGT TACCAAACCA AGTGGGGCGT 1131 GCATGGTAAG TACCTCCAGC GCAGGCTTCA AGTTCGCGGC ATTCGTGCTG TAGTCGATCC 1191 TGATGGTCCC ATTCACGTTG AAGCGCTGTC TTGCCCCCAG TCTTGGATCA GGCACCTGAC 1251 TCTGGATGAT GATGTCACCC CAGGATTCGT TCGCCTGACA TCCCTTCGCA TTGTGCCGAA 1311 CACAGAGCCT ACCACTTCCC GGATCTTTCG GTTTGGAGCG CATAAGTGGT ATGGCGCTGC 1371 CGGCAAACGG GCTCGTGCTA AGCGTGCCGC TAAAAGTGAG AAGGATTCGG CTCCCACCCC 1431 CAAGGTTGCC CTGCCGGTCC CCACCTGTGG AATTACCACC TACTCTCCAC CGACAGACGG 1491 GTCTTGTGGT TGGCATGTCC TTGCCGCCAT AATGAACCGG ATGATAAATG GTGACTTCAC 1551 GTCCCCTCTG ACTCAGTACA ACAGACCAGA GGATGATTGG GCTTCTGATT ATGATCTTGT 1611 TCAGGCGATT CAATGTCTAC GACTGCCTGC TACCGTGGTT CGGAATCGCG CCTGTCCTAA 1671 CGCCAAGTAC CTTATAAAAC TTAACGGAGT TCACTGGGAG GTAGAGGTGA GGTCTGGAAT 1731 GGCTCCTCGC TCCCTTTCTC GTGAATGTGT GGTTGGCGTT TGCTCTGAAG GCTGTGTCGC 1791 ACCGCCTTAT CCAGCAGACG GGCTACCTAA ACGTGCACTC GAGGCCTTGG CGTCTGCTTA 1851 CAGACTACCC TCCGATTGTG TTAGCTCTGG TATTGCTGAC TTTCTTGCTA ATCCACCTCC 1911 TCAGGAATTC TGGACCCTCG ACAAAATGTT GACCTCCCCG TCACCAGAGC GGTCCGGCTT 1971 CTCTAGTTTG TATAAATTAC TATTAGAGGT TGTTCCGCAA AAATGCGGTG CCACGGAAGG 2031 GGCTTTCATC TATGCTGTTG AGAGGATGTT GAAGGATTGT CCGAGCTCCA AACAGGCCAT 2091 GGCCCTTCTG GCAAAAATTA AAGTTCCATC CTCAAAGGCC CCGTCTGTGT CCCTGGACGA 2151 GTGTTTCCCT ACGGATGTTT TAGCCGACTT CGAGCCAGCA TCTCAGGAAA GGCCCCAAAG 2211 TTCCGGCGCT GCTGTTGTCC TGTGTTCACC GGATGCAAAA GAGTTCGAGG AAGCAGCCCC 2271 RGAAGAAGTT CAAGAGAGTG GCCACAAGGC CGTCCACTCT GCACTCCTTG CCGAGGGTCC 2331 TAACAATGAG CAGGTACAGG TGGTTGCCGG TGAGCAACTG AAGCTCGGCG GTTGTGGTTT 2391 GGCAGTCGGG AATGCTCATG AAGGTGCTCT GGTCTCAGCT GGTCTAATTA ACCTGGTAGG 2451 CGGGAATTTG TCCCCCTCAG ACCCCATGAA AGAAAACATG CTCAATAGCC GGGAAGACGA 2511 ACCACTGGAT TTGTCCCAAC CAGCACCAGC TTCCACAACG ACCCTTGTGA GAGAGCAAAC 2571 ACCCGACAAC CCAGGTTCTG ATGCCGGTGC CCTCCCCGTC ACCGTTCGAG AATTTGTCCC 2631 GACGGGGCCT ATACTCTGTC ATGTTGAGCA CTGCGGCACG GAGTCGGGCG ACAGCAGTTC 2691 GCCTTTGGAT CTATCTGATG CGCAAACCCT GGACCAGCCT TTAAATCTAT CCCTGGCCGC 2751 TTGGCCAGTG AGGGCCACCG CGTCTGACCC TGGCTGGGTC CACGGTAGGC GCGAGCCTGT 2811 CTTTGTAAAG CCTCGAAATG CTTTCTCTGA TGGCGATTCA GCCCTTCAGT TCGGGGAGCT 2871 TTCTGAATCC AGCTCTGTCA TCGAGTTTGA CCGGACAAAA GATGCTCCGG TGGTTGACGC 2931 CCCTGTCGAC TTGACGACTT CGAACGAGGC CCTCTCTGTA GTCGATCCTT TCGAATTTGC 2991 CGAACTCAAG CGCCCGCGTT TCTCCGCACA AGCCTTAATT GACCGAGGCG GTCCACTTGC 3051 CGATGTCCAT GCAAAAATAA AGAACCGGGT ATATGAACAG TGCCTCCAAG CTTGTGAGCC 3111 CGGTAGTCGT GCAACCCCAG CCACCAGGGA GTGGCTCGAC AAAATGTGGG ATAGGGTGGA 3171 CATGAAAACT TGGCGCTGCA CCTCGCAGTT CCAAGCTGGT CGCATTCTTG CGTCCCTCAA 3231 ATTCCTCCCT GACATGATTC AAGACACACC GCCTCCTGTT CCCAGGAAGA ACCGAGCTAG 3291 TGACAATGCC GGCCTGAAGC AACTGGTGGC ACAGTGGGAT AGGAAATTGA GTGTGACCCC 3351 CCCCCCAAAA CCGGTTGGGC CAGTGCTTGA CCAGATCGTC CCTCCGCCTA CGGATATCCA 3411 GCAAGAAGAT GTCACCCCCT CCGATGGGCC ACCCCATGCG CCGGATTTTC CTAGTCGAGT 3471 GAGCACGGGC GGGAGTTGGA AAGGCCTTAT GCTTTCCGGC ACCCGTCTCG CGGGGTCTAT 3531 CAGCCAGCGC CTTATGACAT GGGTTTTTGA AGTTTTCTCC CACCTCCCAG CTTTTATGCT 3591 CACACTTTTC TCGCCGCGGG GCTCTATGGC TCCAGGTGAT TGGTTGTTTG CAGGTGTCGT 3651 TTTACTTGCT CTCTTGCTCT GTCGTTCTTA CCCGATACTC GGATGCCTTC CCTTATTGGG 3711 TGTCTTTTCT GGTTCTTTGC GGCGTGTTCG TCTGGGTGTT TTTGGTTCTT GGATGGCTTT 3771 TGCTGTATTT TTATTCTCGA CTCCATCCAA CCCAGTCGGT TCTTCTTGTG ACCACGATTC 3831 GCCGGAGTGT CATGCTGAGC TTTTGGCTCT TGAGCAGCGC CAACTTTGGG AACCTGTGCG 3891 CGGCCTTGTG GTCGGCCCCT CAGGCCTCTT ATGTGTCATT CTTGGCAAGT TACTCGGTGG 3951 GTCACGTTAT CTCTGGCATG TTCTCCTACG TTTATGCATG CTTGCAGATT TGGCCCTTTC 4011 TCTTGTTTAT GTGGTGTCCC AGGGGCGTTG TCACAAGTGT TGGGGAAAGT GTATAAGGAC 4071 AGCTCCTGCG GAGGTGGCTC TTAATGTATT TCCTTTCTCG CGCGCCACCC GTGTCTCTCT 4131 TGTATCCTTG TGTGATCGAT TCCAAACGCC AAAAGGGGTT GATCCTGTGC ACTTGGCAAC 4191 GGGTTGGCGC GGGTGCTGGC GTGGTGAGAG CCCCATCCAT CAACCACACC AAAAGCCCAT 4251 AGCTTATGCC AATTTGGATG AAAAGAAAAT GTCTGCCCAA ACGGTGGTTG CTGTCCCATA 4311 CGATCCCAGT CAGGCTATCA AATGCCTGAA AGTTCTGCAG GCGGGAGGGG CCATCGTGGA 4371 CCAGCCTACA CCTGAGGTCG TTCGTGTGTC CGAGATCCCC TTCTCAGCCC CATTTTTCCC 4431 AAAAGTTCCA GTCAACCCAG ATTGCAGGGT TGTGGTAGAT TCGGACACTT TTGTGGCTGC 4491 GGTTCGCTGC GGTTACTCGA CAGCACAACT GGTYCTGGGC CGGGGCAACT TTGCCAAGTT 4551 AAATCAGACC CCCCCCAGGA ACTCTATCTC CACCAAAACG ACTGGTGGGG CCTCTTACAC 4611 CCTTGCTGTG GCTCAAGTGT CTGCGTGGAC TCTTGTTCAT TTCATCCTCG GTCTTTGGTT 4671 CACATCACCT CAAGTGTGTG GCCGAGGAAC CGCTGACCCA TGGTGTTCAA ATCCTTTTTC 4731 ATATCCTACC TATGGCCCCG GAGTTGTGTG CTCCTCTCGA CTTTGTGTGT CTGCCGACGG 4791 GGTCACCCTG CCATTGTTCT CAGCCGTGGC ACAACTCTCC GGTAGAGAGG TGGGGATTTT 4851 TATTTTGGTG CTCGTCTCCT TGACTGCTTT GGCCCACCGC ATGGCTCTTA AGGCAGACAT 4911 GTTAGTGGTC TTTTCGGCTT TTTGTGCTTA CGCCTGGCCC ATGAGCTCCT GGTTAATCTG 4971 CTTCTTTCCT ATACTCTTGA AGTGGGTTAC CCTTCACCCT CTTACTATGC TTTGGGTGCA 5031 CTCATTCTTG GTGTTTTGTC TGCCAGCAGC CGGCATCCTC TCACTAGGGA TAACTGGCCT 5091 TCTTTGGGCA ATTGGCCGCT TTACCCAGGT TGCCGGAATT ATTACACCTT ATGACATCCA 5151 CCAGTACACC TCTGGGCCAC GTGGTGCAGC TGCTGTGGCC ACAGCCCCAG AAGGCACTTA 5211 TATGGCCGCC GTCCGGAGAG CTGCTTTAAC TGGGCGAACT TTAATCTTCA CCCCGTCTGC 5271 AGTTGGATCC CTTCTCGAAG GTGCTTTCAG GACTCATAAA CCCTGCCTTA ACACCGTGAA 5331 TGTTGTAGGC TCTTCCCTTG GTTCCGGAGG GGTTTTCACC ATTGATGGCA GAAGAACTGT 5391 CGTCACTGCT GCCCATGTGT TGAACGGCGA CACAGCTAGA GTCACCGGCG ACTCCTACAA 5451 CCGCATGCAC ACTTTCAAGA CCAATGGTGA TTATGCCTGG TCCCATGCTG ATGACTGGCA 5511 GGGCGTTGCC CCTGTGGTCA AGGTTGCGAA GGGGTACCGC GGTCGTGCCT ACTGGCAAAC 5571 ATCAACTGGT GTCGAACCCG GTATCATTGG GGAAGGGTTC GCCTTCTGTT TTACTAACTG 5631 CGGCGATTCG GGGTCACCCG TCATCTCAGA ATCTGGTGAT CTTATTGGAA TCCACACCGG 5691 TTCAAACAAA CTTGGTTCTG GTCTTGTGAC AACCCCTGAA GGGGAGACCT GCACCATCAA 5751 AGAAACCAAG CTCTCTGACC TTTCCAGACA TTTTGCAGGC CCAAGCGTTC CTCTTGGGGA 5811 CATTAAATTG AGTCCGGCCA TCATCCCTGA TGTAACATCC ATTCCGAGTG ACTTGGCATC 5871 GCTCCTAGCC TCCGTCCCTG TAGTGGAAGG CGGCCTCTCG ACCGTTCAAC TTTTGTGTGT 5931 CTTTTTCCTT CTCTGGCGCA TGATGGGCCA TGCCTGGACA CCCATTGTTG CCGTGGGCTT 5991 CTTTTTGCTG AATGAAATTC TTCCAGCAGT TTTGGTCCGA GCCGTGTTTT CTTTTGCACT 6051 CTTTGTGCTT GCATGGGCCA CCCCCTGGTC TGCACAGGTG TTGATGATTA GACTCCTCAC 6111 GGCATCTCTC AACCGCAACA AGCTTTCTCT GGCGTTCTAC GCACTCGGGG GTGTCGTCGG 6171 TTTGGCAGCT GAAATCGGGA CTTTTGCTGG CAGATTGTCT GAATTGTCTC AAGCTCTTTC 6231 GACATACTGC TTCTTACCTA GGGTCCTTGC TATGACCAGT TGTGTTCCCA CCATCATCAT 6291 TGGTGGACTC CATACCCTCG GTGTGATTCT GTGGTTRTTC AAATACCGGT GCCTCCACAA 6351 CATGCTGGTT GGTGATGGGA GTTTTTCAAG CGCCTTCTTC CTACGGTATT TTGCAGAGGG 6411 TAATCTCAGA AAAGGTGTTT CACAGTCCTG TGGCATGAAT AACGAGTCCC TAACGGCTGC 6471 TTTAGCTTGC AAGTTGTCAC AGGCTGACCT TGATTTTTTG TCCAGCTTAA CGAACTTCAA 6531 GTGCTTTGTA TCTGCTTCAA ACATGAAAAA TGCTGCCGGC CAGTACATTG AAGCAGCGTA 6591 TGCCAAGGCC CTGCGCCAAG AGTTGGCCTC TCTAGTTCAG ATTGACAAAA TGAAAGGAGT 6651 TTTGTCCAAG CTCGAGGCCT TTGCTGAAAC AGCCACCCCG TCCCTTGACA TAGGTGACGT 6711 GATTGTTCTG CTTGGGCAAC ATCCTCACGG ATCCATCCTC GATATTAATG TGGGGACTGA 6771 AAGGAAAACT GTGTCCGTGC AAGAGACCCG GAGCCTAGGC GGCTCCAAAT TCAGTGTTTG 6831 TACTGTCGTG TCCAACACAC CCGTGGACGC CTTRACCGGC ATCCCACTCC AGACACCAAC 6891 CCCTCTTTTT GAGAATGGTC CGCGTCATCG CAGCGAGGAA GACGATCTTA AAGTCGAGAG 6951 GATGAAGAAA CACTGTGTAT CCCTCGGCTT CCACAACATC AATGGCAAAG TTTACTGCAA 7011 AATTTGGGAC AAGTCTACCG GTGACACCTT TTACACGGAT GATTCCCGGT ACACCCAAGA 7071 CCATGCTTTT CAGGACAGGT CAGCCGACTA CAGAGACAGG GACTATGAGG GTGTGCAAAC 7131 CACCCCCCAA CAGGGATTTG ATCCAAAGTC TGAAACCCCT GTTGGCACTG TTGTGATCGG 7191 CGGTATTACG TATAACAGGT ATCTGATCAA AGGTAAGGAG GTTCTGGTCC CCAAGCCTGA 7251 CAACTGCCTT GAAGCTGCCA AGCTGTCCCT TGAGCAAGCT CTCGCTGGGA TGGGCCAAAC 7311 TTGCGACCTT ACAGCTGCCG AGGTGGAAAA GCTAAAGCGC ATCATTAGTC AACTCCAAGG 7371 TTTGACCACT GAACAGGCTT TAAACTGT TAGCCGCCAG CGGCTTGACC CGCTGTGGCC 7429 GCGGCGGCCT AGTTGTGACT GAAACGGCGG TAAAAATTAT AAAATACCAC AGCAGAACTT 7489 TCACCTTAGG CCCTTTAGAC CTAAAAGTCA CTTCCGAGGT GGAGGTAAAG AAATCAACTG 7549 AGCAGGGCCA CGCTGTTGTG GCAAACTTAT GTTCCGGTGT CATCTTGATG AGACCTCACC 7609 CACCGTCCCT TGTCGACGTT CTTCTGAAAC CCGGACTTGA CACAATACCC GGCATTCAAC 7669 CAGGGCATGG GGCCGGGAAT ATGGGCGTGG ACGGTTCTAT TTGGGATTTT GAAACCGCAC 7729 CCACAAAGGC AGAACTCGAG TTATCCAAGC AAATAATCCA AGCATGTGAA GTTAGGCGCG 7789 GGGACGCCCC GAACCTCCAA CTCCCTTACA AGCTCTATCC TGTTAGGGGG GATCCTGAGC 7849 GGCATAAAGG CCGCCTTATC AATACCAGGT TTGGAGATTT ACCTTACAAA ACTCCTCAAG 7909 ACACCAAGTC CGCAATCCAC GCGGCTTGTT GCCTGCACCC CAACGGGGCC CCCGTGTCTG 7969 ATGGTAAATC CACACTAGGT ACCACTCTTC AACATGGTTT CGAGCTTTAT GTCCCTACTG 8029 TGCCCTATAG TGTCATGGAG TACCTTGATT CACGCCCTGA CACCCCTTTT ATGTGTACTA 8089 AACATGGCAC TTCCAAGGCT GCTGCAGAGG ACCTCCAAAA ATACGACCTA TCCACCCAAG 8149 GATTTGTCCT GCCTGGGGTC CTACGCCTAG TACGCAGATT CATCTTTGGC CATATTGGTA 8209 AGGCGCCGCC ATTGTTCCTC CCATCAACCT ATCCCGCCAA GAACTCTATG GCAGGGATCA 8269 ATGGCCAGAG GTTCCCAACA AAGGACGTTC AGAGCATACC TGAAATTGAT GAAATGTGTG 8329 CCCGCGCTGT CAAGGAGAAT TGGCAAACTG TGACACCTTG CACCCTCAAG AAACAGTACT 8389 GTTCCAAGCC CAAAACCAGG ACCATCCTGG GCACCAACAA CTTTATTGCC TTGGCTCACA 8449 GATCGGCGCT CAGTGGTGTC ACCCAGGCAT TCATGAAGAA GGCTTGGAAG TCCCCAATTG 8509 CCTTGGGGAA AAACAAATTC AAGGAGCTGC ATTGCACTGT CGCCGGCAGG TGTCTTGAGG 8569 CCGACTTGGC CTCCTGTGAC CGCAGCACCC CCGCCATTGT AAGATGGTTT GTTGCCAACC 8629 TCCTGTATGA ACTTGCAGGA TGTGAAGAGT ACTTGCCTAG CTATGTGCTT AATTGCTGCC 8689 ATGACCTCGT GGCAACACAG GATGGTGCCT TCACAAAACG CGGTGGCCTG TCGTCCGGGG 8749 ACCCCGTCAC CAGTGTGTCC AACACCGTAT ATTCACTGGT AATTTATGCC CAGCACATGG 8809 TATTGTCGGC CTTGAAAATG GGTCATGAAA TTGGTCTTAA GTTCCTCGAG GAACAGCTCA 8869 AGTTCGAGGA CCTCCTTGAA ATTCAGCCTA TGTTGGTATA CTCTGATGAT CTTGTCTTGT 8929 ACGCTGAAAG ACCCACMTTT CCCAATTACC ACTGGTGGGT CGAGCACCTT GACCTGATGC 8989 TGGGTTTCAG AACGGACCCA AAGAAAACCG TCATAACTGA TAAACCCAGC TTCCTCGGCT 9049 GCAGAATTGA GGCAGGGCGA CAGCTAGTCC CCAATCGCGA CCGCATCCTG GCTGCTCTTG 9109 CATATCACAT GAAGGCGCAG AACGCCTCAG AGTATTATGC GTCTGCTGCC GCAATCCTGA 9169 TGGATTCATG TGCTTGCATT GACCATGACC CTGAGTGGTA TGAGGACCTC ATCTGCGGTA 9229 TTGCCCGGTG CGCCCGCCAG GATGGTTATA GCTTCCCAGG TCCGGCATTT TTCATGTCCA 9289 TGTGGGAGAA GCTGAGAAGT CATAATGAAG GGAAGAAATT CCGCCACTGC GGCATCTGCG 9349 ACGCCAAAGC CGACTATGCG TCCGCCTGTG GGCTTGATTT GTGTTTGTTC CATTCGCACT 9409 TTCATCAACA CTGCCCYGTC ACTCTGAGCT GCGGTCACCA TGCCGGTTCA AAGGAATGTT 9469 CGCAGTGTCA GTCACCTGTT GGGGCTGGCA GATCCCCTCT TGATGCCGTG CTAAAACAAA 9529 TTCCATACAA ACCTCCTCGT ACTGTCATCA TGAAGGTGGG TAATAAAACA ACGGCCCTCG 9589 ATCCGGGGAG GTACCAGTCC CGTCGAGGTC TCGTTGCAGT CAAGAGGGGT ATTGCAGGCA 9649 ATGAAGTTGA TCTTTCTGAT GGRGACTACC AAGTGGTGCC TCTTTTGCCG ACTTGCAAAG 9709 ACATAAACAT GGTGAAGGTG GCTTGCAATG TACTACTCAG CAAGTTCATA GTAGGGCCAC 9769 CAGGTTCCGG AAAGACCACC TGGCTACTGA GTCAAGTCCA GGACGATGAT GTCATTTACA 9829 YACCCACCCA TCAGACTATG TTTGATATAG TCAGTGCTCT CAAAGTTTGC AGGTATTCCA 9889 TTCCAGGAGC CTCAGGACTC CCTTTCCCAC CACCTGCCAG GTCCGGGCCG TGGGTTAGGC 9949 TTATTGCCAG CGGGCACGTC CCTGGCCGAG TATCATACCT CGATGAGGCT GGATATTGTA 10009 ATCATCTGGA CATTCTTAGA CTGCTTTCCA AAACACCCCT TGTGTGTTTG GGTGACCTTC 10069 AGCAACTTCA CCCTGTCGGC TTTGATTCCT ACTGTTATGT GTTCGATCAG ATGCCTCAGA 10129 AGCAGCTGAC CACTATTTAC AGATTTGGCC CTAACATCTG CGCACGCATC CAGCCTTGTT 10189 ACAGGGAGAA ACTTGAATCT AAGGCTAGGA ACACTAGGGT GGTTTTTACC ACCCGGCCTG 10249 TGGCCTTTGG TCAGGTGCTG ACACCATACC ATAAAGATCG CATCGGCTCT GCGATAACCA 10309 TAGATTCATC CCAGGGGGCC ACCTTTGATA TTGTGACATT GCATCTACCA TCGCCAAAGT 10369 CCCTAAATAA ATCCCGAGCA CTTGTAGCCA TCACTCGGGC AAGACACGGG TTGTTCATTT 10429 ATGACCCTCA TAACCAGCTC CAGGAGTTTT TCAACTTAAC CCCTGAGCGC ACTGATTGTA 10489 ACCTTGTGTT CAGCCGTGGG GATGAGCTGG TAGTTCTGAA TGCGGATAAT GCAGTCACAA 10549 CTGTAGCGAA GGCCCTTGAG ACAGGTCCAT CTCGATTTCG AGTATCAGAC CCGAGGTGCA 10609 AGTCTCTCTT AGCCGCTTGT TCGGCCAGTC TGGAAGGGAG CTGTATGCCA CTACCGCAAG 10669 TGGCACATAA CCTGGGGTTT TACTTTTCCC CGGACAGTCC AACATTTGCA CCTCTGCCAA 10729 AAGAGTTGGC GCCACATTGG CCAGTGGTTA CCCACCAGAA TAATCGGGCG TGGCCTGATC 10789 GACTTGTCGC TAGTATGCGC CCAATTGATG CCCGCTACAG CAAGCCAATG GTCGGTGCAG 10849 GGTATGTGGT CGGGCCGTCC ACCTTTCTTG GTACTCCTGG TGTGGTGTCA TACTATCTCA 10909 CACTATACAT CAGGGGTGAG CCCCAGGCCT TGCCAGAAAC ACTCGTTTCA ACAGGGCGTA 10969 TAGCCACAGA TTGTCGGGAG TATCTCGACG CGGCTGAGGA AGAGGCAGCA AAAGAACTCC 11029 CCCACGCATT CATTGGCGAT GTCAAAGGTA CCACGGTTGG GGGGTGTCAT CACATTACAT 11089 CAAAATACCT ACCTAGGTCC CTGCCTAAGG ACTCTGTTGC CGTAGTTGGA GTAAGTTCGC 11149 CCGGCAGGGC TGCTAAAGCC GTGTGCACTC TCACCGATGT GTACCTCCCC GAACTCCGGC 11209 CATATCTGCA ACCTGAGACG GCATCAAAAT GCTGGAAACT CAAATTAGAC TTCAGGGACG 11269 TCCGACTAAT GGTCTGGAAA GGAGCCACCG CCTATTTCCA GTTGGAAGGG CTTACATGGT 11329 CGGCGCTGCC CGACTATGCC AGGTTYATTC AGCTGCCCAA GGATGCCGTT GTATACATTG 11389 ATCCGTGTAT AGGACCGGCA ACAGCCAACC GTAAGGTCGT GCGAACCACA GACTGGCGGG 11449 CCGACCTGGC AGTGACACCG TATGATTACG GTGCCCAGAA CATTTTGACA ACAGCCTGGT 11509 TCGAGGACCT CGGGCCGCAG TGGAAGATTT TGGGGTTGCA GCCCTTTAGG CGAGCATTTG 11569 GCTTTGAAAA CACTGAGGAT TGGGCAATCC TTGCACGCCG TATGAATGAC GGCAAGGACT 11629 ACACTGACTA TAACTGGAAC TGTGTTCGAG AACGCCCACA CGCCATCTAC GGGCGTGCTC 11689 GTGACCATAC GTATCATTTT GCCCCTGGCA CAGAATTGCA GGTAGAGCTA GGTAAACCCC 11749 GGCTGCCGCC TGGGCAAGTG CCG TGAATTCGGG GTGATGCAAT GGGGTCACTG 11802 TGGAGTAAAA TCAGCCAGCT GTTCGTGGAC GCCTTCACTG AGTTCCTTGT TAGTGTGGTT 11862 GATATTGYCA TTTTCCTTGC CATACTGTTT GGGTTCACCG TCGCAGGATG GTTACTGGTC 11922 TTTCTTCTCA GAGTGGTTTG CTCCGCGCTT CTCCGTTCGC GCTCTGCCAT TCACTCTCCC 11982 GAACTATCGA AGGTCCTATG AAGGCTTGTT GCCCAACTGC AGACCGGATG TCCCACAATT 12042 TGCAGTCAAG CACCCATTGG GYATGTTTTG GCACATGCGA GTTTCCCACT TGATTGATGA 12102 GRTGGTCTCT CGTCGCATTT ACCAGACCAT GGAACATTCA GGTCAAGCGG CCTGGAAGCA 12162 GGTGGTTGGT GAGGCCACTC TCACGAAGCT GTCAGGGCTC GATATAGTTA CTCATTTCCA 12222 ACACCTGGCC GCAGTGGAGG CGGATTCTTG CCGCTTTCTC AGCTCACGAC TCGTGATGCT 12282 AAAAAATCTT GCCGTTGGCA ATGTGAGCCT ACAGTACAAC ACCACGTTGG ACCGCGTTGA 12342 GCTCATCTTC CCCACGCCAG GTACGAGGCC CAAGTTGACC GATTTCAGAC AATGGCTCAT 12402 CAGTGTGCAC GCTTCCATTT TTTCCTCTGT GGCTTCATCT GTTACCTTGT TCATAGTGCT 12462 TTGGCTTCGA ATTCCAGCTC TACGCTATGT TTTTGGTTTC CATTGGCCCA CGGCAACACA 12522 TCATTCGAGC TGACCATCAA CTACACCATA TGCATGCCCT GTTCTACCAG TCAAGCGGCT 12582 CGCCAAAGGC TCGAGCCCGG TCGTAACATG TGGTGCAAAA TAGGGCATGA CAGGTGTGAG 12642 GAGCGTGACC ATGATGAGTT GTTAATGTCC ATCCCGTCCG GGTACGACAA CCTCAAACTT 12702 GAGGGTTATT ATGCTTGGCT GGCTTTTTTG TCCTTTTCCT ACGCGGCCCA ATTCCATCCG 12762 GAGTTGTTCG GGATAGGGAA TGTGTCGCGC GTCTTCGTGG ACAAGCGACA CCAGTTCATT 12822 TGTGCCGAGC ATGATGGACA CAATTCAACC GTATCTACCG GACACAACAT CTCCGCATTA 12882 TATGCGGCAT ATTACCACCA CCAAATAGAC GGGGGCAATT GGTTCCATTT GGAATGGCTG 12942 CGGCCACTCT TTTCTTCCTG GCTGGTGCTC AACATATCAT GGTTTCTGAG GCGTTCGCCT 13002 GTAAGCCCTG TTTCTCGACG CATCTATCAG ATATTGAGAC CAACACGACC GCGGCTGCCG 13062 GTTTCATGGT CCTTCAGGAC ATCAATTGTT TCCGACCTCA CGGGGTCTCA GCAGCGCAAG 13122 AGAAAATTTC CTTCGGAAAG TCGTCCCAAT GTCGTGAAGC CGTCGGTACT CCCCAGTACA 13182 TCACGA TAACGGCTAA CGTGACCGAC GAATCATACT TGTACAACGC GGACCTGCTG 13238 ATGCTTTCTG CGTGCCTTTT CTACGCCTCA GAAATGAGCG AGAAAGGCTT CAAAGTCATC 13298 TTTGGGAATG TCTCTGGCGT TGTTTCTGCT TGTGTCAATT TCACAGATTA TGTGGCCCAT 13358 GTGACCCAAC ATACCCAGCA GCATCATCTG GTAATTGATC ACATTCGGTT GCTGCATTTC 13418 CTGACACCAT CTGCAATGAG GTGGGCTACA ACCATTGCTT GTTTGTTCGC CATTCTCTTG 13478 GCAATA TGAGATGTTC TCACAAATTG GGGCGTTTCT TGACTCCGCA CTCTTGCTTC 13534 TGGTGGCTTT TTTTGCTGTG TACCGGCTTG TCCTGGTCCT TTGCCGATGG CAACGGCGAC 13594 AGCTCGACAT ACCAATACAT ATATAACTTG ACGATATGCG AGCTGAATGG GACCGACTGG 13654 TTGTCCAGCC ATTTTGGTTG GGCAGTCGAG ACCTTTGTGC TTTACCCGGT TGCCACTCAT 13714 ATCCTCTCAC TGGGTTTTCT CACAACAAGC CATTTTTTTG ACGCGCTCGG TCTCGGCGCT 13774 GTATCCACTG CAGGATTTGT TGGCGGGCGG TACGTACTCT GCAGCGTCTA CGGCGCTTGT 13834 GCTTTCGCAG CGTTCGTATG TTTTGTCATC CGTGCTGCTA AAAATTGCAT GGCCTGCCGC 13894 TATGCCCGTA CCCGGTTTAC CAACTTCATT GTGGACGACC GGGGGAGAGT TCATCGATGG 13954 AAGTCTCCAA TAGTGGTAGA AAAATTGGGC AAAGCCGAAG TCGATGGCAA CCTCGTCACC 14014 ATCAAACATG TCGTCCTCGA AGGGGTTAAA GCTCAACCCT TGACGAGGAC TTCGGCTGAG 14074 CAATGGGAGG CC TAGACGATTT TTGCAACGAT CCTATCGCCG CACAAAAGCT 14126 CGTGCTAGCC TTTAGCATCA CATACACACC TATAATGATA TACGCCCTTA AGGTGTCACG 14186 CGGCCGACTC CTGGGGCTGT TGCACATCCT AATATTTCTG AACTGTTCCT TTACATTCGG 14246 ATACATGACA TATGTGCATT TTCAATCCAC CAACCGTGTC GCACTTACCC TGGGGGCTGT 14306 TGTCGCCCTT CTGTGGGGTG TTTACAGCTT CACAGAGTCA TGGAAGTTTA TCACTTCCAG 14366 ATGCAGATTG TGTTGCCTTG GCCGGCGATA CATTCTGGCC CCTGCCCATC ACGTAGAAAG 14426 TGCTGCAGGT CTCCATTCAA TCTCAGCGTC TGGTAACCGA GCATACGCTG TGAGAAAGCC 14486 CGGACTAACA TCAGTGAACG GCACTCTAGT ACCAGGACTT CGGAGCCTCG TGCTGGGCGG 14546 CAAACGAGCT GTTAAACGAG GAGTGGTTAA CCTCGTCAAG TATGGCCGG TAAAAACCAG 14605 AGCCAGAAGA AAAAGAAAAG TACAGCTCCG ATGGGGAATG GCCAGCCAGT CAATCAACTG 14665 TGCCAGTTGC TGGGTGCAAT GATAAAGTCC CAGCGCCAGC AACCTAGGGG AGGACAGGCY 14725 AAAAAGAAAA AGCCTGAGAA GCCACATTTT CCCCTGGCTG CTGAAGATGA CATCCGGCAC 14785 CACCTCACCC AGACTGAACG CTCCCTCTGC TTGCAATCGA TCCAGACGGC TTTCAATCAA 14845 GGCGCAGGAA CTGCGTCRCT TTCATCCAGC GGGAAGGTCA GTTTTCAGGT TGAGTTTATG 14905 CTGCCGGTTG CTCATACAGT GCGCCTGATT CGCGTGACTT CTACATCCGC CAGTCAGGGT 14965 GCAAGT TAATTTGACA GTCAGGTGAA TGGCCGCGAT GGCGTGTGGC CTCTGAGTCA 15021 CCTATTCAAT TAGGGCGATC ACATGGGGGT CATACTTAAT TCAGGCAGGA ACCATGTGAC 15081 CGAAATTAAA AAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAA 15108 2396 amino acids amino acid linear protein 2 Met Ser Gly Thr Phe Ser Arg Cys Met Cys Thr Pro Ala Ala Arg Val 1 5 10 15 Phe Trp Asn Ala Gly Gln Val Phe Cys Thr Arg Cys Leu Ser Ala Arg 20 25 30 Ser Leu Leu Ser Pro Glu Leu Gln Asp Thr Asp Leu Gly Ala Val Gly 35 40 45 Leu Phe Tyr Lys Pro Arg Asp Lys Leu His Trp Lys Val Pro Ile Gly 50 55 60 Ile Pro Gln Val Glu Cys Thr Pro Ser Gly Cys Cys Trp Leu Ser Ala 65 70 75 80 Val Phe Pro Leu Ala Arg Met Thr Ser Gly Asn His Asn Phe Leu Gln 85 90 95 Arg Leu Val Lys Val Ala Asp Val Leu Tyr Arg Asp Gly Cys Leu Ala 100 105 110 Pro Arg His Leu Arg Glu Leu Gln Val Tyr Glu Arg Gly Cys Asn Trp 115 120 125 Tyr Pro Ile Thr Gly Pro Val Pro Gly Met Gly Leu Phe Ala Asn Ser 130 135 140 Met His Val Ser Asp Gln Pro Phe Pro Gly Ala Thr His Val Leu Thr 145 150 155 160 Asn Ser Pro Leu Pro Gln Gln Ala Cys Arg Gln Pro Phe Cys Pro Phe 165 170 175 Glu Glu Ala His Ser Ser Val Tyr Arg Trp Lys Lys Phe Val Val Phe 180 185 190 Thr Asp Ser Ser Leu Asn Gly Arg Ser Arg Met Met Trp Thr Pro Glu 195 200 205 Ser Asp Asp Ser Ala Ala Leu Glu Val Leu Pro Pro Glu Leu Glu Arg 210 215 220 Gln Val Glu Ile Leu Ile Arg Ser Phe Pro Ala His His Pro Val Asp 225 230 235 240 Leu Ala Asp Trp Glu Leu Thr Glu Ser Pro Glu Asn Gly Phe Ser Phe 245 250 255 Asn Thr Ser His Ser Cys Gly His Leu Val Gln Asn Pro Asp Val Phe 260 265 270 Asp Gly Lys Cys Trp Leu Ser Cys Phe Leu Gly Gln Ser Val Glu Val 275 280 285 Arg Cys His Glu Glu His Leu Ala Asp Ala Phe Gly Tyr Gln Thr Lys 290 295 300 Trp Gly Val His Gly Lys Tyr Leu Gln Arg Arg Leu Gln Val Arg Gly 305 310 315 320 Ile Arg Ala Val Val Asp Pro Asp Gly Pro Ile His Val Glu Ala Leu 325 330 335 Ser Cys Pro Gln Ser Trp Ile Arg His Leu Thr Leu Asp Asp Asp Val 340 345 350 Thr Pro Gly Phe Val Arg Leu Thr Ser Leu Arg Ile Val Pro Asn Thr 355 360 365 Glu Pro Thr Thr Ser Arg Ile Phe Arg Phe Gly Ala His Lys Trp Tyr 370 375 380 Gly Ala Ala Gly Lys Arg Ala Arg Ala Lys Arg Ala Ala Lys Ser Glu 385 390 395 400 Lys Asp Ser Ala Pro Thr Pro Lys Val Ala Leu Pro Val Pro Thr Cys 405 410 415 Gly Ile Thr Thr Tyr Ser Pro Pro Thr Asp Gly Ser Cys Gly Trp His 420 425 430 Val Leu Ala Ala Ile Met Asn Arg Met Ile Asn Gly Asp Phe Thr Ser 435 440 445 Pro Leu Thr Gln Tyr Asn Arg Pro Glu Asp Asp Trp Ala Ser Asp Tyr 450 455 460 Asp Leu Val Gln Ala Ile Gln Cys Leu Arg Leu Pro Ala Thr Val Val 465 470 475 480 Arg Asn Arg Ala Cys Pro Asn Ala Lys Tyr Leu Ile Lys Leu Asn Gly 485 490 495 Val His Trp Glu Val Glu Val Arg Ser Gly Met Ala Pro Arg Ser Leu 500 505 510 Ser Arg Glu Cys Val Val Gly Val Cys Ser Glu Gly Cys Val Ala Pro 515 520 525 Pro Tyr Pro Ala Asp Gly Leu Pro Lys Arg Ala Leu Glu Ala Leu Ala 530 535 540 Ser Ala Tyr Arg Leu Pro Ser Asp Cys Val Ser Ser Gly Ile Ala Asp 545 550 555 560 Phe Leu Ala Asn Pro Pro Pro Gln Glu Phe Trp Thr Leu Asp Lys Met 565 570 575 Leu Thr Ser Pro Ser Pro Glu Arg Ser Gly Phe Ser Ser Leu Tyr Lys 580 585 590 Leu Leu Leu Glu Val Val Pro Gln Lys Cys Gly Ala Thr Glu Gly Ala 595 600 605 Phe Ile Tyr Ala Val Glu Arg Met Leu Lys Asp Cys Pro Ser Ser Lys 610 615 620 Gln Ala Met Ala Leu Leu Ala Lys Ile Lys Val Pro Ser Ser Lys Ala 625 630 635 640 Pro Ser Val Ser Leu Asp Glu Cys Phe Pro Thr Asp Val Leu Ala Asp 645 650 655 Phe Glu Pro Ala Ser Gln Glu Arg Pro Gln Ser Ser Gly Ala Ala Val 660 665 670 Val Leu Cys Ser Pro Asp Ala Lys Glu Phe Glu Glu Ala Ala Xaa Glu 675 680 685 Glu Val Gln Glu Ser Gly His Lys Ala Val His Ser Ala Leu Leu Ala 690 695 700 Glu Gly Pro Asn Asn Glu Gln Val Gln Val Val Ala Gly Glu Gln Leu 705 710 715 720 Lys Leu Gly Gly Cys Gly Leu Ala Val Gly Asn Ala His Glu Gly Ala 725 730 735 Leu Val Ser Ala Gly Leu Ile Asn Leu Val Gly Gly Asn Leu Ser Pro 740 745 750 Ser Asp Pro Met Lys Glu Asn Met Leu Asn Ser Arg Glu Asp Glu Pro 755 760 765 Leu Asp Leu Ser Gln Pro Ala Pro Ala Ser Thr Thr Thr Leu Val Arg 770 775 780 Glu Gln Thr Pro Asp Asn Pro Gly Ser Asp Ala Gly Ala Leu Pro Val 785 790 795 800 Thr Val Arg Glu Phe Val Pro Thr Gly Pro Ile Leu Cys His Val Glu 805 810 815 His Cys Gly Thr Glu Ser Gly Asp Ser Ser Ser Pro Leu Asp Leu Ser 820 825 830 Asp Ala Gln Thr Leu Asp Gln Pro Leu Asn Leu Ser Leu Ala Ala Trp 835 840 845 Pro Val Arg Ala Thr Ala Ser Asp Pro Gly Trp Val His Gly Arg Arg 850 855 860 Glu Pro Val Phe Val Lys Pro Arg Asn Ala Phe Ser Asp Gly Asp Ser 865 870 875 880 Ala Leu Gln Phe Gly Glu Leu Ser Glu Ser Ser Ser Val Ile Glu Phe 885 890 895 Asp Arg Thr Lys Asp Ala Pro Val Val Asp Ala Pro Val Asp Leu Thr 900 905 910 Thr Ser Asn Glu Ala Leu Ser Val Val Asp Pro Phe Glu Phe Ala Glu 915 920 925 Leu Lys Arg Pro Arg Phe Ser Ala Gln Ala Leu Ile Asp Arg Gly Gly 930 935 940 Pro Leu Ala Asp Val His Ala Lys Ile Lys Asn Arg Val Tyr Glu Gln 945 950 955 960 Cys Leu Gln Ala Cys Glu Pro Gly Ser Arg Ala Thr Pro Ala Thr Arg 965 970 975 Glu Trp Leu Asp Lys Met Trp Asp Arg Val Asp Met Lys Thr Trp Arg 980 985 990 Cys Thr Ser Gln Phe Gln Ala Gly Arg Ile Leu Ala Ser Leu Lys Phe 995 1000 1005 Leu Pro Asp Met Ile Gln Asp Thr Pro Pro Pro Val Pro Arg Lys Asn 1010 1015 1020 Arg Ala Ser Asp Asn Ala Gly Leu Lys Gln Leu Val Ala Gln Trp Asp 1025 1030 1035 1040 Arg Lys Leu Ser Val Thr Pro Pro Pro Lys Pro Val Gly Pro Val Leu 1045 1050 1055 Asp Gln Ile Val Pro Pro Pro Thr Asp Ile Gln Gln Glu Asp Val Thr 1060 1065 1070 Pro Ser Asp Gly Pro Pro His Ala Pro Asp Phe Pro Ser Arg Val Ser 1075 1080 1085 Thr Gly Gly Ser Trp Lys Gly Leu Met Leu Ser Gly Thr Arg Leu Ala 1090 1095 1100 Gly Ser Ile Ser Gln Arg Leu Met Thr Trp Val Phe Glu Val Phe Ser 1105 1110 1115 1120 His Leu Pro Ala Phe Met Leu Thr Leu Phe Ser Pro Arg Gly Ser Met 1125 1130 1135 Ala Pro Gly Asp Trp Leu Phe Ala Gly Val Val Leu Leu Ala Leu Leu 1140 1145 1150 Leu Cys Arg Ser Tyr Pro Ile Leu Gly Cys Leu Pro Leu Leu Gly Val 1155 1160 1165 Phe Ser Gly Ser Leu Arg Arg Val Arg Leu Gly Val Phe Gly Ser Trp 1170 1175 1180 Met Ala Phe Ala Val Phe Leu Phe Ser Thr Pro Ser Asn Pro Val Gly 1185 1190 1195 1200 Ser Ser Cys Asp His Asp Ser Pro Glu Cys His Ala Glu Leu Leu Ala 1205 1210 1215 Leu Glu Gln Arg Gln Leu Trp Glu Pro Val Arg Gly Leu Val Val Gly 1220 1225 1230 Pro Ser Gly Leu Leu Cys Val Ile Leu Gly Lys Leu Leu Gly Gly Ser 1235 1240 1245 Arg Tyr Leu Trp His Val Leu Leu Arg Leu Cys Met Leu Ala Asp Leu 1250 1255 1260 Ala Leu Ser Leu Val Tyr Val Val Ser Gln Gly Arg Cys His Lys Cys 1265 1270 1275 1280 Trp Gly Lys Cys Ile Arg Thr Ala Pro Ala Glu Val Ala Leu Asn Val 1285 1290 1295 Phe Pro Phe Ser Arg Ala Thr Arg Val Ser Leu Val Ser Leu Cys Asp 1300 1305 1310 Arg Phe Gln Thr Pro Lys Gly Val Asp Pro Val His Leu Ala Thr Gly 1315 1320 1325 Trp Arg Gly Cys Trp Arg Gly Glu Ser Pro Ile His Gln Pro His Gln 1330 1335 1340 Lys Pro Ile Ala Tyr Ala Asn Leu Asp Glu Lys Lys Met Ser Ala Gln 1345 1350 1355 1360 Thr Val Val Ala Val Pro Tyr Asp Pro Ser Gln Ala Ile Lys Cys Leu 1365 1370 1375 Lys Val Leu Gln Ala Gly Gly Ala Ile Val Asp Gln Pro Thr Pro Glu 1380 1385 1390 Val Val Arg Val Ser Glu Ile Pro Phe Ser Ala Pro Phe Phe Pro Lys 1395 1400 1405 Val Pro Val Asn Pro Asp Cys Arg Val Val Val Asp Ser Asp Thr Phe 1410 1415 1420 Val Ala Ala Val Arg Cys Gly Tyr Ser Thr Ala Gln Leu Xaa Leu Gly 1425 1430 1435 1440 Arg Gly Asn Phe Ala Lys Leu Asn Gln Thr Pro Pro Arg Asn Ser Ile 1445 1450 1455 Ser Thr Lys Thr Thr Gly Gly Ala Ser Tyr Thr Leu Ala Val Ala Gln 1460 1465 1470 Val Ser Ala Trp Thr Leu Val His Phe Ile Leu Gly Leu Trp Phe Thr 1475 1480 1485 Ser Pro Gln Val Cys Gly Arg Gly Thr Ala Asp Pro Trp Cys Ser Asn 1490 1495 1500 Pro Phe Ser Tyr Pro Thr Tyr Gly Pro Gly Val Val Cys Ser Ser Arg 1505 1510 1515 1520 Leu Cys Val Ser Ala Asp Gly Val Thr Leu Pro Leu Phe Ser Ala Val 1525 1530 1535 Ala Gln Leu Ser Gly Arg Glu Val Gly Ile Phe Ile Leu Val Leu Val 1540 1545 1550 Ser Leu Thr Ala Leu Ala His Arg Met Ala Leu Lys Ala Asp Met Leu 1555 1560 1565 Val Val Phe Ser Ala Phe Cys Ala Tyr Ala Trp Pro Met Ser Ser Trp 1570 1575 1580 Leu Ile Cys Phe Phe Pro Ile Leu Leu Lys Trp Val Thr Leu His Pro 1585 1590 1595 1600 Leu Thr Met Leu Trp Val His Ser Phe Leu Val Phe Cys Leu Pro Ala 1605 1610 1615 Ala Gly Ile Leu Ser Leu Gly Ile Thr Gly Leu Leu Trp Ala Ile Gly 1620 1625 1630 Arg Phe Thr Gln Val Ala Gly Ile Ile Thr Pro Tyr Asp Ile His Gln 1635 1640 1645 Tyr Thr Ser Gly Pro Arg Gly Ala Ala Ala Val Ala Thr Ala Pro Glu 1650 1655 1660 Gly Thr Tyr Met Ala Ala Val Arg Arg Ala Ala Leu Thr Gly Arg Thr 1665 1670 1675 1680 Leu Ile Phe Thr Pro Ser Ala Val Gly Ser Leu Leu Glu Gly Ala Phe 1685 1690 1695 Arg Thr His Lys Pro Cys Leu Asn Thr Val Asn Val Val Gly Ser Ser 1700 1705 1710 Leu Gly Ser Gly Gly Val Phe Thr Ile Asp Gly Arg Arg Thr Val Val 1715 1720 1725 Thr Ala Ala His Val Leu Asn Gly Asp Thr Ala Arg Val Thr Gly Asp 1730 1735 1740 Ser Tyr Asn Arg Met His Thr Phe Lys Thr Asn Gly Asp Tyr Ala Trp 1745 1750 1755 1760 Ser His Ala Asp Asp Trp Gln Gly Val Ala Pro Val Val Lys Val Ala 1765 1770 1775 Lys Gly Tyr Arg Gly Arg Ala Tyr Trp Gln Thr Ser Thr Gly Val Glu 1780 1785 1790 Pro Gly Ile Ile Gly Glu Gly Phe Ala Phe Cys Phe Thr Asn Cys Gly 1795 1800 1805 Asp Ser Gly Ser Pro Val Ile Ser Glu Ser Gly Asp Leu Ile Gly Ile 1810 1815 1820 His Thr Gly Ser Asn Lys Leu Gly Ser Gly Leu Val Thr Thr Pro Glu 1825 1830 1835 1840 Gly Glu Thr Cys Thr Ile Lys Glu Thr Lys Leu Ser Asp Leu Ser Arg 1845 1850 1855 His Phe Ala Gly Pro Ser Val Pro Leu Gly Asp Ile Lys Leu Ser Pro 1860 1865 1870 Ala Ile Ile Pro Asp Val Thr Ser Ile Pro Ser Asp Leu Ala Ser Leu 1875 1880 1885 Leu Ala Ser Val Pro Val Val Glu Gly Gly Leu Ser Thr Val Gln Leu 1890 1895 1900 Leu Cys Val Phe Phe Leu Leu Trp Arg Met Met Gly His Ala Trp Thr 1905 1910 1915 1920 Pro Ile Val Ala Val Gly Phe Phe Leu Leu Asn Glu Ile Leu Pro Ala 1925 1930 1935 Val Leu Val Arg Ala Val Phe Ser Phe Ala Leu Phe Val Leu Ala Trp 1940 1945 1950 Ala Thr Pro Trp Ser Ala Gln Val Leu Met Ile Arg Leu Leu Thr Ala 1955 1960 1965 Ser Leu Asn Arg Asn Lys Leu Ser Leu Ala Phe Tyr Ala Leu Gly Gly 1970 1975 1980 Val Val Gly Leu Ala Ala Glu Ile Gly Thr Phe Ala Gly Arg Leu Ser 1985 1990 1995 2000 Glu Leu Ser Gln Ala Leu Ser Thr Tyr Cys Phe Leu Pro Arg Val Leu 2005 2010 2015 Ala Met Thr Ser Cys Val Pro Thr Ile Ile Ile Gly Gly Leu His Thr 2020 2025 2030 Leu Gly Val Ile Leu Trp Xaa Phe Lys Tyr Arg Cys Leu His Asn Met 2035 2040 2045 Leu Val Gly Asp Gly Ser Phe Ser Ser Ala Phe Phe Leu Arg Tyr Phe 2050 2055 2060 Ala Glu Gly Asn Leu Arg Lys Gly Val Ser Gln Ser Cys Gly Met Asn 2065 2070 2075 2080 Asn Glu Ser Leu Thr Ala Ala Leu Ala Cys Lys Leu Ser Gln Ala Asp 2085 2090 2095 Leu Asp Phe Leu Ser Ser Leu Thr Asn Phe Lys Cys Phe Val Ser Ala 2100 2105 2110 Ser Asn Met Lys Asn Ala Ala Gly Gln Tyr Ile Glu Ala Ala Tyr Ala 2115 2120 2125 Lys Ala Leu Arg Gln Glu Leu Ala Ser Leu Val Gln Ile Asp Lys Met 2130 2135 2140 Lys Gly Val Leu Ser Lys Leu Glu Ala Phe Ala Glu Thr Ala Thr Pro 2145 2150 2155 2160 Ser Leu Asp Ile Gly Asp Val Ile Val Leu Leu Gly Gln His Pro His 2165 2170 2175 Gly Ser Ile Leu Asp Ile Asn Val Gly Thr Glu Arg Lys Thr Val Ser 2180 2185 2190 Val Gln Glu Thr Arg Ser Leu Gly Gly Ser Lys Phe Ser Val Cys Thr 2195 2200 2205 Val Val Ser Asn Thr Pro Val Asp Ala Xaa Thr Gly Ile Pro Leu Gln 2210 2215 2220 Thr Pro Thr Pro Leu Phe Glu Asn Gly Pro Arg His Arg Ser Glu Glu 2225 2230 2235 2240 Asp Asp Leu Lys Val Glu Arg Met Lys Lys His Cys Val Ser Leu Gly 2245 2250 2255 Phe His Asn Ile Asn Gly Lys Val Tyr Cys Lys Ile Trp Asp Lys Ser 2260 2265 2270 Thr Gly Asp Thr Phe Tyr Thr Asp Asp Ser Arg Tyr Thr Gln Asp His 2275 2280 2285 Ala Phe Gln Asp Arg Ser Ala Asp Tyr Arg Asp Arg Asp Tyr Glu Gly 2290 2295 2300 Val Gln Thr Thr Pro Gln Gln Gly Phe Asp Pro Lys Ser Glu Thr Pro 2305 2310 2315 2320 Val Gly Thr Val Val Ile Gly Gly Ile Thr Tyr Asn Arg Tyr Leu Ile 2325 2330 2335 Lys Gly Lys Glu Val Leu Val Pro Lys Pro Asp Asn Cys Leu Glu Ala 2340 2345 2350 Ala Lys Leu Ser Leu Glu Gln Ala Leu Ala Gly Met Gly Gln Thr Cys 2355 2360 2365 Asp Leu Thr Ala Ala Glu Val Glu Lys Leu Lys Arg Ile Ile Ser Gln 2370 2375 2380 Leu Gln Gly Leu Thr Thr Glu Gln Ala Leu Asn Cys 2385 2390 2395 1463 amino acids amino acid linear protein 3 Thr Gly Phe Lys Leu Leu Ala Ala Ser Gly Leu Thr Arg Cys Gly Arg 1 5 10 15 Gly Gly Leu Val Val Thr Glu Thr Ala Val Lys Ile Ile Lys Tyr His 20 25 30 Ser Arg Thr Phe Thr Leu Gly Pro Leu Asp Leu Lys Val Thr Ser Glu 35 40 45 Val Glu Val Lys Lys Ser Thr Glu Gln Gly His Ala Val Val Ala Asn 50 55 60 Leu Cys Ser Gly Val Ile Leu Met Arg Pro His Pro Pro Ser Leu Val 65 70 75 80 Asp Val Leu Leu Lys Pro Gly Leu Asp Thr Ile Pro Gly Ile Gln Pro 85 90 95 Gly His Gly Ala Gly Asn Met Gly Val Asp Gly Ser Ile Trp Asp Phe 100 105 110 Glu Thr Ala Pro Thr Lys Ala Glu Leu Glu Leu Ser Lys Gln Ile Ile 115 120 125 Gln Ala Cys Glu Val Arg Arg Gly Asp Ala Pro Asn Leu Gln Leu Pro 130 135 140 Tyr Lys Leu Tyr Pro Val Arg Gly Asp Pro Glu Arg His Lys Gly Arg 145 150 155 160 Leu Ile Asn Thr Arg Phe Gly Asp Leu Pro Tyr Lys Thr Pro Gln Asp 165 170 175 Thr Lys Ser Ala Ile His Ala Ala Cys Cys Leu His Pro Asn Gly Ala 180 185 190 Pro Val Ser Asp Gly Lys Ser Thr Leu Gly Thr Thr Leu Gln His Gly 195 200 205 Phe Glu Leu Tyr Val Pro Thr Val Pro Tyr Ser Val Met Glu Tyr Leu 210 215 220 Asp Ser Arg Pro Asp Thr Pro Phe Met Cys Thr Lys His Gly Thr Ser 225 230 235 240 Lys Ala Ala Ala Glu Asp Leu Gln Lys Tyr Asp Leu Ser Thr Gln Gly 245 250 255 Phe Val Leu Pro Gly Val Leu Arg Leu Val Arg Arg Phe Ile Phe Gly 260 265 270 His Ile Gly Lys Ala Pro Pro Leu Phe Leu Pro Ser Thr Tyr Pro Ala 275 280 285 Lys Asn Ser Met Ala Gly Ile Asn Gly Gln Arg Phe Pro Thr Lys Asp 290 295 300 Val Gln Ser Ile Pro Glu Ile Asp Glu Met Cys Ala Arg Ala Val Lys 305 310 315 320 Glu Asn Trp Gln Thr Val Thr Pro Cys Thr Leu Lys Lys Gln Tyr Cys 325 330 335 Ser Lys Pro Lys Thr Arg Thr Ile Leu Gly Thr Asn Asn Phe Ile Ala 340 345 350 Leu Ala His Arg Ser Ala Leu Ser Gly Val Thr Gln Ala Phe Met Lys 355 360 365 Lys Ala Trp Lys Ser Pro Ile Ala Leu Gly Lys Asn Lys Phe Lys Glu 370 375 380 Leu His Cys Thr Val Ala Gly Arg Cys Leu Glu Ala Asp Leu Ala Ser 385 390 395 400 Cys Asp Arg Ser Thr Pro Ala Ile Val Arg Trp Phe Val Ala Asn Leu 405 410 415 Leu Tyr Glu Leu Ala Gly Cys Glu Glu Tyr Leu Pro Ser Tyr Val Leu 420 425 430 Asn Cys Cys His Asp Leu Val Ala Thr Gln Asp Gly Ala Phe Thr Lys 435 440 445 Arg Gly Gly Leu Ser Ser Gly Asp Pro Val Thr Ser Val Ser Asn Thr 450 455 460 Val Tyr Ser Leu Val Ile Tyr Ala Gln His Met Val Leu Ser Ala Leu 465 470 475 480 Lys Met Gly His Glu Ile Gly Leu Lys Phe Leu Glu Glu Gln Leu Lys 485 490 495 Phe Glu Asp Leu Leu Glu Ile Gln Pro Met Leu Val Tyr Ser Asp Asp 500 505 510 Leu Val Leu Tyr Ala Glu Arg Pro Xaa Phe Pro Asn Tyr His Trp Trp 515 520 525 Val Glu His Leu Asp Leu Met Leu Gly Phe Arg Thr Asp Pro Lys Lys 530 535 540 Thr Val Ile Thr Asp Lys Pro Ser Phe Leu Gly Cys Arg Ile Glu Ala 545 550 555 560 Gly Arg Gln Leu Val Pro Asn Arg Asp Arg Ile Leu Ala Ala Leu Ala 565 570 575 Tyr His Met Lys Ala Gln Asn Ala Ser Glu Tyr Tyr Ala Ser Ala Ala 580 585 590 Ala Ile Leu Met Asp Ser Cys Ala Cys Ile Asp His Asp Pro Glu Trp 595 600 605 Tyr Glu Asp Leu Ile Cys Gly Ile Ala Arg Cys Ala Arg Gln Asp Gly 610 615 620 Tyr Ser Phe Pro Gly Pro Ala Phe Phe Met Ser Met Trp Glu Lys Leu 625 630 635 640 Arg Ser His Asn Glu Gly Lys Lys Phe Arg His Cys Gly Ile Cys Asp 645 650 655 Ala Lys Ala Asp Tyr Ala Ser Ala Cys Gly Leu Asp Leu Cys Leu Phe 660 665 670 His Ser His Phe His Gln His Cys Xaa Val Thr Leu Ser Cys Gly His 675 680 685 His Ala Gly Ser Lys Glu Cys Ser Gln Cys Gln Ser Pro Val Gly Ala 690 695 700 Gly Arg Ser Pro Leu Asp Ala Val Leu Lys Gln Ile Pro Tyr Lys Pro 705 710 715 720 Pro Arg Thr Val Ile Met Lys Val Gly Asn Lys Thr Thr Ala Leu Asp 725 730 735 Pro Gly Arg Tyr Gln Ser Arg Arg Gly Leu Val Ala Val Lys Arg Gly 740 745 750 Ile Ala Gly Asn Glu Val Asp Leu Ser Asp Xaa Asp Tyr Gln Val Val 755 760 765 Pro Leu Leu Pro Thr Cys Lys Asp Ile Asn Met Val Lys Val Ala Cys 770 775 780 Asn Val Leu Leu Ser Lys Phe Ile Val Gly Pro Pro Gly Ser Gly Lys 785 790 795 800 Thr Thr Trp Leu Leu Ser Gln Val Gln Asp Asp Asp Val Ile Tyr Xaa 805 810 815 Pro Thr His Gln Thr Met Phe Asp Ile Val Ser Ala Leu Lys Val Cys 820 825 830 Arg Tyr Ser Ile Pro Gly Ala Ser Gly Leu Pro Phe Pro Pro Pro Ala 835 840 845 Arg Ser Gly Pro Trp Val Arg Leu Ile Ala Ser Gly His Val Pro Gly 850 855 860 Arg Val Ser Tyr Leu Asp Glu Ala Gly Tyr Cys Asn His Leu Asp Ile 865 870 875 880 Leu Arg Leu Leu Ser Lys Thr Pro Leu Val Cys Leu Gly Asp Leu Gln 885 890 895 Gln Leu His Pro Val Gly Phe Asp Ser Tyr Cys Tyr Val Phe Asp Gln 900 905 910 Met Pro Gln Lys Gln Leu Thr Thr Ile Tyr Arg Phe Gly Pro Asn Ile 915 920 925 Cys Ala Arg Ile Gln Pro Cys Tyr Arg Glu Lys Leu Glu Ser Lys Ala 930 935 940 Arg Asn Thr Arg Val Val Phe Thr Thr Arg Pro Val Ala Phe Gly Gln 945 950 955 960 Val Leu Thr Pro Tyr His Lys Asp Arg Ile Gly Ser Ala Ile Thr Ile 965 970 975 Asp Ser Ser Gln Gly Ala Thr Phe Asp Ile Val Thr Leu His Leu Pro 980 985 990 Ser Pro Lys Ser Leu Asn Lys Ser Arg Ala Leu Val Ala Ile Thr Arg 995 1000 1005 Ala Arg His Gly Leu Phe Ile Tyr Asp Pro His Asn Gln Leu Gln Glu 1010 1015 1020 Phe Phe Asn Leu Thr Pro Glu Arg Thr Asp Cys Asn Leu Val Phe Ser 1025 1030 1035 1040 Arg Gly Asp Glu Leu Val Val Leu Asn Ala Asp Asn Ala Val Thr Thr 1045 1050 1055 Val Ala Lys Ala Leu Glu Thr Gly Pro Ser Arg Phe Arg Val Ser Asp 1060 1065 1070 Pro Arg Cys Lys Ser Leu Leu Ala Ala Cys Ser Ala Ser Leu Glu Gly 1075 1080 1085 Ser Cys Met Pro Leu Pro Gln Val Ala His Asn Leu Gly Phe Tyr Phe 1090 1095 1100 Ser Pro Asp Ser Pro Thr Phe Ala Pro Leu Pro Lys Glu Leu Ala Pro 1105 1110 1115 1120 His Trp Pro Val Val Thr His Gln Asn Asn Arg Ala Trp Pro Asp Arg 1125 1130 1135 Leu Val Ala Ser Met Arg Pro Ile Asp Ala Arg Tyr Ser Lys Pro Met 1140 1145 1150 Val Gly Ala Gly Tyr Val Val Gly Pro Ser Thr Phe Leu Gly Thr Pro 1155 1160 1165 Gly Val Val Ser Tyr Tyr Leu Thr Leu Tyr Ile Arg Gly Glu Pro Gln 1170 1175 1180 Ala Leu Pro Glu Thr Leu Val Ser Thr Gly Arg Ile Ala Thr Asp Cys 1185 1190 1195 1200 Arg Glu Tyr Leu Asp Ala Ala Glu Glu Glu Ala Ala Lys Glu Leu Pro 1205 1210 1215 His Ala Phe Ile Gly Asp Val Lys Gly Thr Thr Val Gly Gly Cys His 1220 1225 1230 His Ile Thr Ser Lys Tyr Leu Pro Arg Ser Leu Pro Lys Asp Ser Val 1235 1240 1245 Ala Val Val Gly Val Ser Ser Pro Gly Arg Ala Ala Lys Ala Val Cys 1250 1255 1260 Thr Leu Thr Asp Val Tyr Leu Pro Glu Leu Arg Pro Tyr Leu Gln Pro 1265 1270 1275 1280 Glu Thr Ala Ser Lys Cys Trp Lys Leu Lys Leu Asp Phe Arg Asp Val 1285 1290 1295 Arg Leu Met Val Trp Lys Gly Ala Thr Ala Tyr Phe Gln Leu Glu Gly 1300 1305 1310 Leu Thr Trp Ser Ala Leu Pro Asp Tyr Ala Arg Xaa Ile Gln Leu Pro 1315 1320 1325 Lys Asp Ala Val Val Tyr Ile Asp Pro Cys Ile Gly Pro Ala Thr Ala 1330 1335 1340 Asn Arg Lys Val Val Arg Thr Thr Asp Trp Arg Ala Asp Leu Ala Val 1345 1350 1355 1360 Thr Pro Tyr Asp Tyr Gly Ala Gln Asn Ile Leu Thr Thr Ala Trp Phe 1365 1370 1375 Glu Asp Leu Gly Pro Gln Trp Lys Ile Leu Gly Leu Gln Pro Phe Arg 1380 1385 1390 Arg Ala Phe Gly Phe Glu Asn Thr Glu Asp Trp Ala Ile Leu Ala Arg 1395 1400 1405 Arg Met Asn Asp Gly Lys Asp Tyr Thr Asp Tyr Asn Trp Asn Cys Val 1410 1415 1420 Arg Glu Arg Pro His Ala Ile Tyr Gly Arg Ala Arg Asp His Thr Tyr 1425 1430 1435 1440 His Phe Ala Pro Gly Thr Glu Leu Gln Val Glu Leu Gly Lys Pro Arg 1445 1450 1455 Leu Pro Pro Gly Gln Val Pro 1460 249 amino acids amino acid linear protein 4 Met Gln Trp Gly His Cys Gly Val Lys Ser Ala Ser Cys Ser Trp Thr 1 5 10 15 Pro Ser Leu Ser Ser Leu Leu Val Trp Leu Ile Leu Xaa Phe Ser Leu 20 25 30 Pro Tyr Cys Leu Gly Ser Pro Ser Gln Asp Gly Tyr Trp Ser Phe Phe 35 40 45 Ser Glu Trp Phe Ala Pro Arg Phe Ser Val Arg Ala Leu Pro Phe Thr 50 55 60 Leu Pro Asn Tyr Arg Arg Ser Tyr Glu Gly Leu Leu Pro Asn Cys Arg 65 70 75 80 Pro Asp Val Pro Gln Phe Ala Val Lys His Pro Leu Xaa Met Phe Trp 85 90 95 His Met Arg Val Ser His Leu Ile Asp Glu Xaa Val Ser Arg Arg Ile 100 105 110 Tyr Gln Thr Met Glu His Ser Gly Gln Ala Ala Trp Lys Gln Val Val 115 120 125 Gly Glu Ala Thr Leu Thr Lys Leu Ser Gly Leu Asp Ile Val Thr His 130 135 140 Phe Gln His Leu Ala Ala Val Glu Ala Asp Ser Cys Arg Phe Leu Ser 145 150 155 160 Ser Arg Leu Val Met Leu Lys Asn Leu Ala Val Gly Asn Val Ser Leu 165 170 175 Gln Tyr Asn Thr Thr Leu Asp Arg Val Glu Leu Ile Phe Pro Thr Pro 180 185 190 Gly Thr Arg Pro Lys Leu Thr Asp Phe Arg Gln Trp Leu Ile Ser Val 195 200 205 His Ala Ser Ile Phe Ser Ser Val Ala Ser Ser Val Thr Leu Phe Ile 210 215 220 Val Leu Trp Leu Arg Ile Pro Ala Leu Arg Tyr Val Phe Gly Phe His 225 230 235 240 Trp Pro Thr Ala Thr His His Ser Ser 245 265 amino acids amino acid linear protein 5 Met Ala His Gln Cys Ala Arg Phe His Phe Phe Leu Cys Gly Phe Ile 1 5 10 15 Cys Tyr Leu Val His Ser Ala Leu Ala Ser Asn Ser Ser Ser Thr Leu 20 25 30 Cys Phe Trp Phe Pro Leu Ala His Gly Asn Thr Ser Phe Glu Leu Thr 35 40 45 Ile Asn Tyr Thr Ile Cys Met Pro Cys Ser Thr Ser Gln Ala Ala Arg 50 55 60 Gln Arg Leu Glu Pro Gly Arg Asn Met Trp Cys Lys Ile Gly His Asp 65 70 75 80 Arg Cys Glu Glu Arg Asp His Asp Glu Leu Leu Met Ser Ile Pro Ser 85 90 95 Gly Tyr Asp Asn Leu Lys Leu Glu Gly Tyr Tyr Ala Trp Leu Ala Phe 100 105 110 Leu Ser Phe Ser Tyr Ala Ala Gln Phe His Pro Glu Leu Phe Gly Ile 115 120 125 Gly Asn Val Ser Arg Val Phe Val Asp Lys Arg His Gln Phe Ile Cys 130 135 140 Ala Glu His Asp Gly His Asn Ser Thr Val Ser Thr Gly His Asn Ile 145 150 155 160 Ser Ala Leu Tyr Ala Ala Tyr Tyr His His Gln Ile Asp Gly Gly Asn 165 170 175 Trp Phe His Leu Glu Trp Leu Arg Pro Leu Phe Ser Ser Trp Leu Val 180 185 190 Leu Asn Ile Ser Trp Phe Leu Arg Arg Ser Pro Val Ser Pro Val Ser 195 200 205 Arg Arg Ile Tyr Gln Ile Leu Arg Pro Thr Arg Pro Arg Leu Pro Val 210 215 220 Ser Trp Ser Phe Arg Thr Ser Ile Val Ser Asp Leu Thr Gly Ser Gln 225 230 235 240 Gln Arg Lys Arg Lys Phe Pro Ser Glu Ser Arg Pro Asn Val Val Lys 245 250 255 Pro Ser Val Leu Pro Ser Thr Ser Arg 260 265 183 amino acids amino acid linear protein 6 Met Ala Ala Ala Thr Leu Phe Phe Leu Ala Gly Ala Gln His Ile Met 1 5 10 15 Val Ser Glu Ala Phe Ala Cys Lys Pro Cys Phe Ser Thr His Leu Ser 20 25 30 Asp Ile Glu Thr Asn Thr Thr Ala Ala Ala Gly Phe Met Val Leu Gln 35 40 45 Asp Ile Asn Cys Phe Arg Pro His Gly Val Ser Ala Ala Gln Glu Lys 50 55 60 Ile Ser Phe Gly Lys Ser Ser Gln Cys Arg Glu Ala Val Gly Thr Pro 65 70 75 80 Gln Tyr Ile Thr Ile Thr Ala Asn Val Thr Asp Glu Ser Tyr Leu Tyr 85 90 95 Asn Ala Asp Leu Leu Met Leu Ser Ala Cys Leu Phe Tyr Ala Ser Glu 100 105 110 Met Ser Glu Lys Gly Phe Lys Val Ile Phe Gly Asn Val Ser Gly Val 115 120 125 Val Ser Ala Cys Val Asn Phe Thr Asp Tyr Val Ala His Val Thr Gln 130 135 140 His Thr Gln Gln His His Leu Val Ile Asp His Ile Arg Leu Leu His 145 150 155 160 Phe Leu Thr Pro Ser Ala Met Arg Trp Ala Thr Thr Ile Ala Cys Leu 165 170 175 Phe Ala Ile Leu Leu Ala Ile 180 201 amino acids amino acid linear protein 7 Met Arg Cys Ser His Lys Leu Gly Arg Phe Leu Thr Pro His Ser Cys 1 5 10 15 Phe Trp Trp Leu Phe Leu Leu Cys Thr Gly Leu Ser Trp Ser Phe Ala 20 25 30 Asp Gly Asn Gly Asp Ser Ser Thr Tyr Gln Tyr Ile Tyr Asn Leu Thr 35 40 45 Ile Cys Glu Leu Asn Gly Thr Asp Trp Leu Ser Ser His Phe Gly Trp 50 55 60 Ala Val Glu Thr Phe Val Leu Tyr Pro Val Ala Thr His Ile Leu Ser 65 70 75 80 Leu Gly Phe Leu Thr Thr Ser His Phe Phe Asp Ala Leu Gly Leu Gly 85 90 95 Ala Val Ser Thr Ala Gly Phe Val Gly Gly Arg Tyr Val Leu Cys Ser 100 105 110 Val Tyr Gly Ala Cys Ala Phe Ala Ala Phe Val Cys Phe Val Ile Arg 115 120 125 Ala Ala Lys Asn Cys Met Ala Cys Arg Tyr Ala Arg Thr Arg Phe Thr 130 135 140 Asn Phe Ile Val Asp Asp Arg Gly Arg Val His Arg Trp Lys Ser Pro 145 150 155 160 Ile Val Val Glu Lys Leu Gly Lys Ala Glu Val Asp Gly Asn Leu Val 165 170 175 Thr Ile Lys His Val Val Leu Glu Gly Val Lys Ala Gln Pro Leu Thr 180 185 190 Arg Thr Ser Ala Glu Gln Trp Glu Ala 195 200 173 amino acids amino acid linear protein 8 Met Gly Gly Leu Asp Asp Phe Cys Asn Asp Pro Ile Ala Ala Gln Lys 1 5 10 15 Leu Val Leu Ala Phe Ser Ile Thr Tyr Thr Pro Ile Met Ile Tyr Ala 20 25 30 Leu Lys Val Ser Arg Gly Arg Leu Leu Gly Leu Leu His Ile Leu Ile 35 40 45 Phe Leu Asn Cys Ser Phe Thr Phe Gly Tyr Met Thr Tyr Val His Phe 50 55 60 Gln Ser Thr Asn Arg Val Ala Leu Thr Leu Gly Ala Val Val Ala Leu 65 70 75 80 Leu Trp Gly Val Tyr Ser Phe Thr Glu Ser Trp Lys Phe Ile Thr Ser 85 90 95 Arg Cys Arg Leu Cys Cys Leu Gly Arg Arg Tyr Ile Leu Ala Pro Ala 100 105 110 His His Val Glu Ser Ala Ala Gly Leu His Ser Ile Ser Ala Ser Gly 115 120 125 Asn Arg Ala Tyr Ala Val Arg Lys Pro Gly Leu Thr Ser Val Asn Gly 130 135 140 Thr Leu Val Pro Gly Leu Arg Ser Leu Val Leu Gly Gly Lys Arg Ala 145 150 155 160 Val Lys Arg Gly Val Val Asn Leu Val Lys Tyr Gly Arg 165 170 128 amino acids amino acid linear protein 9 Met Ala Gly Lys Asn Gln Ser Gln Lys Lys Lys Lys Ser Thr Ala Pro 1 5 10 15 Met Gly Asn Gly Gln Pro Val Asn Gln Leu Cys Gln Leu Leu Gly Ala 20 25 30 Met Ile Lys Ser Gln Arg Gln Gln Pro Arg Gly Gly Gln Xaa Lys Lys 35 40 45 Lys Lys Pro Glu Lys Pro His Phe Pro Leu Ala Ala Glu Asp Asp Ile 50 55 60 Arg His His Leu Thr Gln Thr Glu Arg Ser Leu Cys Leu Gln Ser Ile 65 70 75 80 Gln Thr Ala Phe Asn Gln Gly Ala Gly Thr Ala Xaa Leu Ser Ser Ser 85 90 95 Gly Lys Val Ser Phe Gln Val Glu Phe Met Leu Pro Val Ala His Thr 100 105 110 Val Arg Leu Ile Arg Val Thr Ser Thr Ser Ala Ser Gln Gly Ala Ser 115 120 125 

What is claimed is:
 1. Composition of matter comprising isolated Lelystad Agent which is the causative agent of Mystery Swine Disease, said Lelystad Agent essentially corresponding to the isolate Lelystad Agent (CDI-NL-2.91) deposited Jun. 5, 1991 with the Institut Pasteur, Paris, France, deposit number I-1102.
 2. Composition of matter comprising killed isolated Lelystad Agent which is the causative agent of Mystery Swine Disease, said Lelystad Agent essentially corresponding to the isolate Lelystad Agent (CDI-NL-2.91) deposited Jun. 5, 1991 with the Institut Pasteur, Paris, France, deposit number I-1102.
 3. Composition of matter comprising attenuated isolated Lelystad Agent which is the causative agent of Mystery Swine Disease, said Lelystad Agent essentially corresponding to the isolate Lelystad Agent (CDI-NL-2.91) deposited Jun. 5, 1991 with the Institut Pasteur, Paris, France, deposit number I-1102.
 4. Composition of matter comprising a recombinant vector derived from Lelystad Agent which is the causative agent of Mystery Swine Disease, said Lelystad Agent essentially corresponding to the isolate Lelystad Agent (CDI-NL-2.91) deposited Jun. 5, 1991 with the Institut Pasteur, Paris, France, deposit number I-1102.
 5. Composition of matter comprising an isolated part or component of Lelystad Agent which is the causative agent of Mystery Swine Disease, said Lelystad Agent essentially corresponding to the isolate Lelystad Agent (CDI-NL-2.91) deposited Jun. 5, 1991 with the Institut Pasteur, Paris, France, deposit number I-1102.
 6. Composition of matter comprising isolated or synthetic protein, (poly)peptide, or nucleic acid derived from Lelystad Agent which is the causative agent of Mystery Swine Disease, said Lelystad Agent essentially corresponding to the isolate Lelystad Agent (CDI-NL-2.91) deposited Jun. 5, 1991 with the Institut Pasteur, Paris, France, deposit number I-1102.
 7. Composition of matter comprising recombinant nucleic acid which comprises a nucleotide sequence derived from the genome of Lelystad Agent which is the causative agent of Mystery Swine Disease, said Lelystad Agent essentially corresponding to the isolate Lelystad Agent (CDI-NL-2.91) deposited Jun. 5, 1991 with the Institut Pasteur, Paris, France, deposit number I-1102.
 8. Composition of matter comprising recombinant nucleic acid which comprises a Lelystad Agent-specific nucleotide sequence shown in FIG.
 1. 9. Composition of matter comprising recombinant nucleic acid which comprises a Lelystad Agent-specific nucleotide sequence selected from anyone of the Open Reading Frames shown in FIG.
 1. 10. Composition of matter comprising a (poly)peptide having an amino acid sequence derived from a protein of Lelystad Agent which is the causative agent of Mystery Swine Disease, said Lelystad Agent essentially corresponding to the isolate Lelystad Agent (CDI-NL-2.91) deposited Jun. 5, 1991 with the Institut Pasteur, Paris, France, deposit number I-1102, the (poly)peptide being produced by a cell capable of producing it due to genetic engineering with appropriate recombinant DNA.
 11. Composition of matter comprising a (poly)peptide comprising a Lelystad Agent-specific amino acid sequence shown in FIG.
 1. 12. Composition of matter comprising an isolated or synthetic antibody which specifically recognizes a part or component of Lelystad Agent which is the causative agent of Mystery Swine Disease, said Lelystad Agent essentially corresponding to the isolate Lelystad Agent (CDI-NL-2.91) deposited Jun. 5, 1991 with the Institut Pasteur, Paris, France, deposit number I-1102.
 13. Composition of matter comprising a recombinant vector which contains nucleic acid comprising a nucleotide sequence coding for a protein or antigenic peptide derived from Lelystad Agent which is the causative agent of Mystery Swine Disease, said Lelystad Agent essentially corresponding to the isolate Lelystad Agent (CDI-NL-2.91) deposited Jun. 5, 1991 with the Institut Pasteur, Paris, France, deposit number I-1102.
 14. Vaccine composition for vaccinating animals, in particular mammals, more in particular pigs or swine, to protect them against Mystery Swine Disease, comprising Lelystad Agent which is the causative agent of Mystery swine Disease, said Lelystad Agent essentially corresponding to the isolate Lelystad Agent (CDI-NL-2.91) deposited Jun. 5, 1991 with the Institut Pasteur, Paris, France, deposit number I-1102, and a suitable carrier or adjuvant.
 15. Vaccine composition for vaccinating animals, in particular mammals, more in particular pigs or swine, to protect them against Mystery Swine Disease, comprising killed Lelystad Agent which is the causative agent of Mystery Swine Disease, said Lelystad Agent essentially corresponding to the isolate Lelystad Agent (CDI-NL-2.91) deposited Jun. 5, 1991 with the Institut Pasteur, Paris, France, deposit number I-1102, and a suitable carrier or adjuvant.
 16. Vaccine composition for vaccinating animals, in particular mammals, more in particular pigs or swine, to protect them against Mystery Swine Disease, comprising attenuated Lelystad Agent which is the causative agent of Mystery Swine Disease, said Lelystad Agent essentially corresponding to the isolate Lelystad Agent (CDI-NL-2.91) deposited Jun. 5, 1991 with the Institut Pasteur, Paris, France, deposit number I-1102, and a suitable carrier or adjuvant.
 17. Vaccine composition for vaccinating animals, in particular mammals, more in particular pigs or swine, to protect them against Mystery Swine Disease, comprising a recombinant vector which contains nucleic acid comprising a nucleotide sequence coding for a protein or antigenic peptide derived from Lelystad Agent which is the causative agent of Mystery Swine Disease, said Lelystad Agent essentially corresponding to the isolate Lelystad Agent (CDI-NL-2.9 1) deposited Jun. 5, 1991 with the Institut Pasteur, Paris, France, deposit number I-1102, and a suitable carrier or adjuvant.
 18. Vaccine composition for vaccinating animals, in particular mammals, more in particular pigs or swine, to protect them against Mystery Swine Disease, comprising an antigenic part or component of Lelystad Agent which is the causative agent of Mystery Swine Disease, said Lelystad Agent essentially corresponding to the isolate Lelystad Agent (CDI-NL-2.91) deposited Jun. 5, 1991 with the Institut Pasteur, Paris, France, deposit number I-1102, and a suitable carrier or adjuvant.
 19. Vaccine composition for vaccinating animals, in particular mammals, more in particular pigs or swine, to protect them against Mystery Swine Disease, comprising a protein or antigenic polypeptide derived from, or a peptide mimicking an antigenic component of, Lelystad Agent which is the causative agent of Mystery Swine Disease, said Lelystad Agent essentially corresponding to the isolate Lelystad Agent (CDI-NL-2.91) deposited Jun. 5, 1991 with the Institut Pasteur, Paris, France, deposit number I-1102, and a suitable carrier or adjuvant.
 20. Vaccine composition for vaccinating animals, in particular mammals, more in particular pigs or swine, to protect them against a disease caused by a pathogen, comprising a recombinant vector derived from Lelystad Agent which is the causative agent of Mystery Swine Disease, said Lelystad Agent essentially corresponding to the isolate Lelystad Agent (CDI-NL-2.91) deposited Jun. 5, 1991 with the Institut Pasteur, Paris, France, deposit number I-1102, the nucleic acid of the recombinant vector comprising a nucleotide sequence coding for a protein or antigenic peptide derived from the pathogen, and a suitable carrier or adjuvant.
 21. Diagnostic kit for detecting nucleic acid from Lelystad Agent which is the causative agent of Mystery Swine Disease, said Lelystad Agent essentially corresponding to the isolate Lelystad Agent (CDI-NL-2.91) deposited Jun. 5, 1991 with the Institut Pasteur, Paris, France, deposit number I-1102, in a sample, in particular a biological samples such as blood or blood serum, sputum, saliva, or tissue, derived from an animal, in particular a mammal, more in particular a pig or swine, comprising a nucleic acid probe or primer which comprises a nucleotide sequence derived from the genome of Lelystad Agent, and suitable detection means of a nucleic acid detection assay.
 22. Diagnostic kit for detecting antigen from Lelystad Agent which is the causative agent of Mystery Swine Disease, said Lelystad Agent essentially corresponding to the isolate Lelystad Agent (CDI-NL-2.91) deposited Jun. 5, 1991 with the Institut Pasteur, Paris, France, deposit number I-1102, in a sample, in particular a biological sample such as blood or blood serum, sputum, saliva, or tissue, derived from an animal, in particular a mammal, more in particular a pig or swine, comprising an antibody which specifically recognizes a part or component of Lelystad Agent, and suitable detection means of an antigen detection assay.
 23. Diagnostic kit for detecting an antibody which specifically recognizes Lelystad Agent which is the causative agent of Mystery Swine Disease, said Lelystad Agent essentially corresponding to the isolate Lelystad Agent (CDI-NL-2.91) deposited Jun. 5, 1991 with the Institut Pasteur, Paris, France, deposit number I-1102, in a sample, in particular a biological sample such as blood or blood serum, sputum, saliva, or tissue, derived from an animal, in particular a mammal, more in particular a pig or swine, comprising an antigenic part or component of Lelystad Agent, and suitable detection means of an antibody detection assay.
 24. Diagnostic kit for detecting an antibody which specifically recognizes Lelystad Agent which is the causative agent of Mystery Swine Disease, said Lelystad Agent essentially corresponding to the isolate Lelystad Agent (CDI-NL-2.91) deposited Jun. 5, 1991 with the Institut Pasteur, Paris, France, deposit number I-1102, in a sample, in particular a biological sample such as blood or blood serum, sputum, saliva, or tissue, derived from an animal, in particular a mammal, more in particular a pig or swine, comprising a protein or antigenic polypeptide derived from Lelystad Agent, or a peptide mimicking an antigenic component of Lelystad Agent, and suitable detection means of an antibody detection assay.
 25. Diagnostic kit for detecting an antibody which specifically recognizes Lelystad Agent which is the causative agent of Mystery Swine Disease, said Lelystad Agent essentially corresponding to the isolate Lelystad Agent (CDI-NL-2.91) deposited Jun. 5, 1991 with the Institut Pasteur, Paris, France, deposit number I-1102, in a sample, in particular a biological sample such as blond or blond serum, sputum, saliva, or tissue, derived from an animal, in particular a mammal, more in particular a pig or swine, comprising killed, live or attenuated Lelystad Agent, and suitable detection means of an antibody detection assay.
 26. A process for diagnosing whether an animal, in particular a mammal, more in particular a pig or swine, is contaminated with the causative agent of Mystery Swine Disease, comprising preparing a sample, in particular a biological sample such as blond or blond serum, sputum, saliva, or tissue, derived from the animal, and examining whether it contains Lelystad Agent nucleic acid, Lelystad Agent antigen, or antibody specifically recognizing Lelystad Agent, said Lelystad Agent being the causative agent of Mystery Swine Disease and essentially corresponding to the isolate Lelystad Agent (CDI-NL-2.91) deposited Jun. 5, 1991 with the Institut Pasteur, Paris, France, deposit number I-1102.
 27. A diagnostic kit for detecting nucleic acid from Lelystad Agent, said Lelystad Agent essentially corresponding to the isolate Lelystad Agent deposited Jun. 5, 1991 with the Institut Pasteur, Paris, France, deposit number I-1102, in a biological sample, derived from an animal, said diagnostic kit comprising: a nucleic acid probe or primer which comprises a nucleotide sequence essentially corresponding to the genome of Lelystad Agent, and means for detecting nucleic acid.
 28. The diagnostic kit of claim 27 wherein the means for detecting a nucleic acid comprises a hybridization of the nucleic acid probe or primer.
 29. The diagnostic kit of claim 28 wherein the means for detecting a nucleic acid comprises polymerase chain reaction (“PCR”).
 30. A diagnostic kit for detecting an antibody which specifically recognizes Lelystad Agent in a biological sample derived from an animal, said kit comprising an antigen selected from the group consisting of virus, protein, polypeptide, and peptide, said antigen immunoreactive with serum antibodies of a sow, said serum antibodies obtained by: a) intranasally inoculating a specific pathogen free sow with two milliliters of a virus essentially corresponding to the virus identified as deposit number I- 1102, deposited Jun. 5, 1991 with the Institut Pasteur, Paris, France (at passage level 3, titer 10^(4.8)TCID₅₀ / milliliter); and further comprising b) collecting serum antibodies from the thus inoculated sow after 25 to 33 days, and means for detecting said antibody.
 31. A diagnostic kit for detecting an antibody which specifically recognizes Lelystad Agent, said Lelystad Agent essentially corresponding to the isolated Lelystad Agent deposited Jun. 5, 1991 with the Institut Pasteur, Paris, France, deposit number I-1102, in a sample derived from an animal said diagnostic kit comprising: a protein or antigenic polypeptide derived from Lelystad Agent, or a peptide mimicking an antigenic component of Lelystad Agent, and means for detecting an antibody reacting with said protein or antigenic polypeptide derived from Lelystad Agent, or a peptide mimicking an antigenic component of Lelystad Agent.
 32. A diagnostic kit for detecting an antibody which specifically recognizes a causative agent of Mystery Swine Disease, said causative agent being at least partially antigenically cross-reactive with Lelystad Agent essentially corresponding to the isolated Lelystad Agent deposited Jun. 5, 1991 with the Institut Pasteur; Paris, France, deposit number I-1102, in a sample derived from an animal, said diagnostic kit comprising said causative agent, and means for detecting said antibody.
 33. The diagnostic kit of claim 32 wherein the causative agent is live.
 34. A process for detecting a causative agent of Mystery Swine Disease in an animal, comprising preparing a sample derived from the animal, and examining whether the sample contains Lelystad Agent nucleic acid, Lelystad Agent antigen, or antibody specifically recognizing Lelystad Agent, said Lelystad Agent essentially corresponding to the isolate Lelystad Agent deposited Jun. 5, 1991 with the Institut Pasteur, Paris, France, deposit number I-1102.
 35. The process according to claim 34 wherein said sample is serum taken from the animal. 